INTERVIEWS

Round 1: Defeated Geoff Grant.....6-3, 6-4, 6-2

Q. You haven't exactly been the centre of media attention, you have sort of been an ignored man almost. Does that suit you, are you happy for the attention to be on other people?
A. That's fine. I don't have a problem with that.

Q. Is it an advantage or a disadvantage?
A. Either way, I don't care; I have media, I have no media.

Q. It is said that you have come into the tournament carrying an injury. Can you specify what that is?
A. I didn't say that. I said I had an injury and I had to take a while off in the fall and I didn't play as much over winter as I used to, I had a few weeks off before Doha and I played all right there, but I am not a hundred per cent the way I would like to play. Today I played a very good match and I'm in the tournament now and I have a couple of days, so it's getting better and better every day.

Q. What was that injury?
A. I had a hip injury and I couldn't do much for weeks. I played a few matches indoors, but I had to default several times. But from the World Championships on, I was all right.

Q. Is that just as a result of wear and tear, your hip injury, over your career?
A. No, not really. I had it a few times, but it's not something chronic.

Q. The reason I ask is: as you know, quite a few players have pulled out for various reasons with a variety of injuries and I was wondering whether that is the nature of the game now, that it is taking more of a toll on the top players especially?
A. Tennis certainly is a sport which has gotten more physical over the last 10 or 15 years probably. Players are playing more, you're getting less rest, and you're putting more stress on your body and that's why I think people have more injuries. The other way, in comparison to 20 years ago, we have better medical treatments, which is a help in the other direction.

Q. I want to ask you: you have a place on the Sunshine Coast?
A. Yes.

Q. How much time do you manage to spend there during the course of the year?
A. Now not that much, but probably November, December and January, three months. We'll see in a few years. Maybe if I'm not playing that much, maybe six months or so. I'm thinking about spending the European summer over there, when it's getting a bit colder than moving back to Noosa.

Q. What do there? Do you do any fishing or surfing?
A. You can do anything there: you can play golf, you can go surfing, you can whatever - you can mow your lawn, if you want to.

Q. I was just curious. Why there, Thomas? Any reason in particular?
A. I had been for holidays there several times and I really liked it there. I always said, in the years I am coming to Australia over the European winter, I always enjoyed Australia, and that's why. I like the sunny part of life, and there I can have everything I want and I can do all the sports I want. There are very nice people up there, and I like it.

Q. Have you set yourself any goals coming into this tournament, or are you not that sort of person?
A. I'm happy to have won the first round and I'm looking forward to the second. Every match I win, I'm happy. I think if I go any further, I will get probably more attention, to answer your first question.