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AUSTRALIAN OPENJanuary 26, 2013Nick KyrgiosMELBOURNE, VICTORIA N. KYRGIOS/T. Kokkinakis THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Well done. Would that be a high light of the career so far? NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, obviously I'm really happy with that performance today. I knew that I had to play some really good tennis. Yeah, I'm pretty stoked with the last two weeks I've had winning the lead‑up tournament and now the Australian Open. So, yeah, it's great start on the year. Q. Today didn't spook you at all? Coming out on Rod Laver you weren't spooked? You obviously weren't put off by that. NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, I had a bit of a hit on it before my match. Obviously I was looking around a lot and just trying to think it's the same dimensions of any other court I've played on. It was obviously a great experience being out there knowing that Federer and Murray were grinding it out the night before. So, yeah, I thought the level of tennis out there today was really good. Didn't seem that we were really nervous. Yeah, I thought it was really good. Q. You served above 205 before? Couple of 207s today? NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, my serve is my strength. Today I wasn't serving great, but on the big points I really thought I served where I needed to. Yeah, I think I hit it a 212 here maybe earlier in the week. Yeah, I don't really take too much notice on how fast I serve. I just try and set up the point with it. Q. What were you thinking when he had two set points in the first set? I think you took two of them away with an ace. What were you thinking going into that point? Was it just, I'm going to try to serve an ace her and take it away from him straightaway? NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, I wasn't actually that nervous knowing he had set points. I was just trying to stay as composed as I could and take my time. I thought I played the big points well. I didn't really get angry at myself leading into that point or anything like that. So, yeah, full credit to him getting to that position, but I thought I was a bit better on the big points today. Q. Have you been surprised with the ease that you've come through the tournament? You haven't dropped a set. NICK KYRGIOS: Last week in the Traralgon, the lead‑up tournament, I was pushed really early in the tournament and the n I ended up winning it. So I obviously took a lot confidence from that tournament. The earlier rounds this week, there was some times where I was being pushed a lot even though the scoreline didn't really tell it. Yeah, I thought I was definitely pushed this week and I thought I played some really good tennis. Yeah, really happy with that. Q. Must have been thankful that the Hawk‑Eye was there and you could challenge early in the tiebreak. NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, first point in the tiebreak I knew it was out straightaway. Yeah, it didn't get called so I was actually really confident with that. Yeah, that's what I mean. That was quite a turning point I thought. As soon as I got to point the momentum swung. So, yeah, without Hawk‑Eye never know. That could've gone the other way. Q. Nick, will you play all three remaining majors, I would assume, in the juniors. What's your best surface or what suits your game best? NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, I'll definitely play all the slams this year. Obviously I've done really well at Wimbledon and US Open. So, yeah, obviously‑‑ I don't really mind clay either, so hopefully I'm going to try and make a really good stand there this year. Really excited for all the Grand Slams. Q. A lot of big names with yours now on this trophy. There is also a lot that have just faded off into oblivion. What are going to do coming up in the next couple years to make sure you're not a one‑hit wonder? NICK KYRGIOS: Obviously going to keep working hard, day in, day out. That's what it's all about. Keep improving on and of the court. I'm going to try and play a lot more futures and challenges and boost my ATP ranking up as well. Obviously I'm going to take a lot confidence out off this. Still a long way to go, it's a long journey, anything can happen, but right now I'm really happy. I'm just going to keep working hard. Q. What sort of lessons do you learn from guys a couple levels ahead of you moving into the main draw, et cetera, the way they conduct themselves? NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, I played Australian Open, the qualifying men's, and it was a really good level out there. I played a really tough, tough match. I went down, but just the way they go about things, they're really professional. They don't get angry, no negativity on the court, so I think there is still a bit of improvement for me. I'm obviously striking the ball just as well as those guys. So, yeah, I can be pretty confident when I go out on the court. Q. Do you have an ATP ranking goal by the end of the year? NICK KYRGIOS: Preferably around 300. Q. Tip for tomorrow night? NICK KYRGIOS: I want Djokovic to win. I think the way he played against Ferrer was unbelievable. Ferrer is one of most solid players going around the tour. He doesn't really drop his level at all. To only let him win five games is impressive, I think. Q. Were you aware that Thanasi had an injury? He's apparently got stress fractures in his back again. NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, I didn't know exactly what it was yesterday, but I heard this morning. You know, obviously I knew about it, but I sort of had to get that out of my head. I thought he still played pretty good tennis out there today. I played him in 18s nationals about four weeks ago and was if a three‑set match then. So, yeah, I think he's good enough still. He really pushed me today. Just really glad I got through it. I hope he gets better soon because he's got a great future ahead. This year is really important for him, so, yeah, hopefully he gets better and back at on the court as soon as possible. Q. What did you think of your brother's paint job? NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, he sent me a message before the match when I was in the locker room. Yeah, I was a bit nervous, and when I saw that I got a bit of a smile and a laugh. It helped, I thought. He's always there supporting me when I'm back home, getting me to train really hard. Yeah, he's been a good help all week. Q. Have you ever had to wait for someone to fix a broken shoelace before? NICK KYRGIOS: No. I think Thanasi told me about that earlier in the week and it happened again. It was a massivetime ‑‑ I think it was 5‑All‑‑ 6‑5 down, deuce, and like his shoelace broke. I said, Mate, you need to get some new shoes. I'm not too sure, but, yeah, it came at pretty critical time. Q. Get some Velcro. NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah. Q. I thought I heard something on the commentary that you lost like five kilos or a lot of weight in the last 12 months; is that true? Has there been a change in your mindset? NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, I think maybe just the last Aussie Open, yeah, I was a bit out of shape I thought and I didn't go as well as I wanted to. I really had to work hard and shed a bit of weight and just keep training. I always had the ball‑striking there, so just knew I had to work hard. Obviously it's been paying off. Q. How much weight did you lose? NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, something around five kilos or something like that. Yeah. Q. Could you talk a little bit about you? Where do you train? Who's your coach? NICK KYRGIOS: My coach at the moment is Des Tyson. And I train‑‑ I was based at the AIS in Canberra. I think that's breaking up into Queensland and Melbourne this year, so I think I'll be based here and this is where I will train. Q. Your father is from Greece and your mother is from Malaysia? NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, that's right. Q. You've obviously had a look at the new facility. What do you think? NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, it's unbelievable. Hasn't been many places in Australia with indoor courts. Yeah, they've obviously put a lot money into it. It's really good. I was training there before Traralgon and the Aussie Open. It was really good. You got ice baths and recovery right next to the courts. I mean, a world‑class gym. Yeah, think it's definitely one the best facilities maybe in the world for us juniors to train in. So, yeah, really good. Q. Has it always been tennis for you, or any other sports tempted you not to follow tennis and go that way? NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, I played a lot basketball when I was young. I was fairly good at it, but there was a time where I sort of had to choose which path I wanted to take. Because basketball is ‑‑ I was obviously really highly competitive as well. I couldn't really risk injury for tennis, so I thought I had to give that away and really concentrate on tennis. Q. You said beforehand you thought you were a bit out of shape last year. Did anybody at Tennis Australia, any former players say anything to you to motivate you? NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, actually my old coach, Todd Larkham had a sort of chat with me and the AIS took me in. Yeah, David Jones, my strength conditioner, has done a great job, I think. He's been there every day managing my body, making sure I'm eating well and training hard. So, yeah, there was a bit of support there and bit of help for me. Yeah. Q. Was there anything you had to cut out of your diet? NICK KYRGIOS: I didn't actually eat that bad, just ate maybe a bit too much sometimes. Yeah, still love my food. I'm training a lot harder now and managing my diet a lot better than I used to. Q. What's next? Going overseas? NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, I'm going back home for maybe a couple days just to relax because I played two highly competitive weeks of tennis. Then head to south Australia to play a challenger over there. Not really too sure what I'm going to do after that. Maybe after that go to Europe or can't really say at the moment. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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