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AUSTRALIAN OPENJanuary 18, 2014Milos RaonicMELBOURNE, VICTORIA G. DIMITROV/M. Raonic THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. What would be your biggest regrets? MILOS RAONIC: Uhm, not really too much. I think I played the situations right. The two sets I was a little bit sloppy to allow myself to get down Love‑40. Other than that, I don't think I would really take too much back. I was doing the right things. I came in a bunch. I don't think I executed well, but I think I had the right idea on what I needed to do. Q. What happened at that stage in the fourth set when your serve, you went off for a while? MILOS RAONIC: Yeah, I think I was just rushing a little bit just 'cause I was struggling with execution on other aspects, so I think I was putting a little bit too much on myself sort of to get ahead quickly with the serve. Q. What went on on his side of the net? MILOS RAONIC: I think he was doing things well. I think he served well. I think he was good when he had the first shot to sort of get ahead in the point. I think he got a few good passes in critical moments when he needed it. When I put the pressure on him, he stepped up and he got himself out of that tough situation. Q. Last year you were playing early‑round matches on the outer courts probably in front of a couple dozen die‑hard Canadian fans who made the trip across the world. This year you have people lined up outside the door desperate to get in. How does it feel, that transition? MILOS RAONIC: No, it's an honor that people are responding that way, that are that eager to watch me play. I'm very grateful for it. I just hope it keeps going that way. I hope I keep giving them a reason to come watch. Q. A little more pressure? MILOS RAONIC: No, it's more exciting. I think when you get sort of those loud moments that we had just before the fourth set tiebreak started, in those important moments, it makes it that much more exciting, more adrenaline going through. It's the moments you prepare yourself hard for. Q. Do you think it's a sign of things to come for Milos Raonic in the tennis world, people lining up to get into the big arenas? MILOS RAONIC: I hope so. I wouldn't say that's necessarily directly my goal, but I think that's a repercussion if I am to achieve my goals. Q. Eugenie Bouchard is the last standard bearer left for Canada in the tournament. How do you feel she's doing? MILOS RAONIC: I think it's great. I've gotten to watch a little bit of her matches. I got to watch the way she was playing two weeks ago in Hopman Cup. I think she's doing a lot of things well. She's been doing what she's needed to. First time being seeded, being the favorite in all her matches so far. She's stepped up and played well, so it's good to see. Q. He had a lot of consistency at holding his serve today; probably more than you did. Is that you not returning as well or him having a really good day? MILOS RAONIC: He got out of trouble the first few times in the beginning playing well in the right situation, a good serve. I really didn't get a chance. I think after I was struggling a little bit just to really give myself a positive opportunity on his serves. I think he got himself out on his own at the first, and then I think it was a bit of both of us. He was doing things well, but I wasn't creating pressure often enough. He just kept sort of going with quite a bit of ease through his own service games. Q. Was that a specific part of your game plan, that when you came to the net you were going to come in almost always to his backhand side? MILOS RAONIC: Yeah, I think you sort of have to. Not necessarily you have to. You obviously have to mix it up. But it's the right play. Times I did get past, especially when I hit a good shot, sometimes I was sort of also putting pressure, sort of bluffing on a chip and charge and so forth just to make him think. When I did come in with a good shot, I can't really do anything when he makes it halfway down the line on the line on that shot in the tiebreak. I just have to really give him a hands up for that. I just wish I was a little bit more efficient. A lot of times I did have the volley I wanted to, and I don't think I did well in that situation. My numbers weren't great when I was at the net. It wasn't how I was coming in; it was my execution with the volley. Q. Do you consider that to be his more vulnerable side of the pass by quite a bit? Might have been like 90%. MILOS RAONIC: I think it's his more vulnerable side. But I think it's also for me my better shot, sort of to lead in that way. The thing I found, most of the times he was passing, he was passing from pretty far back. Even if he did come up with a good shot it had to be really good, because I was sort of there in position. And, yes, I didn't do a great job with sort of closing off volleys and picking the right volleys in that situation. Q. We didn't have a chance to ask you the other night about the ankle you had taped in the previous match. Is that all better? MILOS RAONIC: No, it wasn't an issue. I think other aspects of my game were the reason for the result of today. Q. The little embrace at the net afterwards, you two get along? MILOS RAONIC: You go out there and you put it all out. I can't be mad at the guy for beating me or anything. I've seen him around since juniors, since under‑14s. I know him and I respect him. I told him, Good luck in the next round. Whoever he's playing in the next round, I'm not exactly sure. But just from growing up with him, I would, for example, want him to do well because I've known him for quite some time. Q. He's playing Roberto Bautista Agut to get into the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. When you look on this tournament in retrospect, do you think you'll look at it as an opportunity lost given how the draw shook out? MILOS RAONIC: Probably when I look at it after, I would have said, I wish I could have gotten through that fourth‑set tiebreaker and gotten to the fifth. I don't think I'll spend too much time on it. There's too much tennis to be played this year. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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