B. Tomic - 19.01.2013

R. FEDERER/B. Tomic
6-4 7-6 6-1

Q.  What did you learn?
BERNARD TOMIC:  Look, I thought it was a really good match.  The first two sets we played really good tennis.  It came down to one point, I think.
I was pretty satisfied with my tennis.  I was competing out there, trying to hang in there with him.  He just came up with, you know, good stuff when he really needed it the most.

Q.  That tiebreak, was that some of the best tennis you played?
BERNARD TOMIC:  Yeah, probably.  I think close to the end of the second set was amazing tennis from both sides.  We were striking the ball so good, hitting winners of any shot on the court.  Just surprised how he came out from 5 2.  We had a lot of long rallies at that 5 2 period.  He played some good tennis just to get back.  I had a chance there and I missed it.  Would have been different up 6 2 or 6 3 in that tiebreak.  It would have been huge.
But unfortunately he got me, played better.  Like I said, I think that tiebreak was really good stuff.  We both played well.  He got the better of me being up two sets to love.

Q.  A couple players during the tournament have made comments about more senior players like Kei Nishikori said David Ferrer and Ryan Harrison said Novak Djokovic, people they want to emulate.  Roger has been a childhood hero of yours.  Is he the benchmark of your game, for example?
BERNARD TOMIC:  Yeah, a lot of players, especially in the locker room, they idolize Roger.  You want to pick up anything you can from this sort of a player.  He is the greatest our sport's ever had.  You learn something every time you watch him.  I learned something tonight as well.
You use this and you use it in a good way.  It's going to make me a better player.  I'm going to keep working hard.  Point by point, I'm going to get my opportunities this year again and become a better player.

Q.  Did he say anything in particular to you after the game at the net?
BERNARD TOMIC:  Yeah.  He said, Keep going, you improved.  Every time I played him, he mentioned, Well done, Bernie, keep going, keep improving, which is a good thing, hearing that from somebody that's giving some advice.  Keep going, keep pushing yourself.
It's important you take that onboard because, you know, you can become a better player when you get information off the world's best.  You take that onboard and then you can use that to work on whatever you need to work on.
Right now I need to improve.  I'm going to keep improving.  I've improved a lot.  But to become someone like him, or even in that area, I've got to improve more.