Australian Open Sunday, 14 February 2021 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Dylan Alcott Press Conference D. ALCOTT/H. Davidson Hopefully this is an expectation I'm putting on myself now to keep talking because otherwise it would be like a 6-0, 7-5 practice match. I don't play as well in practice matches. If you see me play here at Melbourne Park, I love the THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. crowd. It's one of the things I love the most. I'm missing them for sure, I'm missing them a lot. But I'm going to try Q. A good win to start. How does it feel to be back to bring the vibe the best that I can to try to pump myself here at the Australian Open? up. DYLAN ALCOTT: I feel lucky, to be honest, with Q. You're playing for title number seven. Feeling everything going on in the world. I feel lucky and any pressure there? privileged to do my job. I also was a bit flat that no one was here. I've been commentating courtside on Rod DYLAN ALCOTT: I'm not really thinking about it too Laver, Margaret Court, getting ready. It was obviously a much. Just trying to minimize what I'm thinking about, bit different, but it's for the right reasons. which is to be honest getting some food in me next. I'm pretty hungry. Then getting ready to play Niels in the It's also very hard to play one of your best mates. I next round, he's 18 and he's bloody awesome. We're always struggle with it. If you're playing a final it's a bit actually really good mates, too. easier, because you both got through. If it's the first round, you're like, bummer. We played each other in a final before the French Open. We both didn't have coaches. We actually warmed each Just happy to get through it. other up for the final that we were both playing each other in. He's an awesome young guy. I'm really excited Q. Where do you feel the game is at the moment? about the opportunity to play him. DYLAN ALCOTT: I feel good, man. I feel like I'm in a We'll see what happens out there. But just going to try to good spot. My expectation of myself is just to be the best have fun and play my game. version of me every time. I don't have an expectation to win. So if I do that, hopefully I do win. If I don't, as long Q. The draw this year has expanded. A comment on as I'm going out there, one, having fun, two, playing my that. game, the results will come. DYLAN ALCOTT: A big shout-out to the Australian I think in the first set I really did that. I don't even know Open, Tennis Australia. It's the first Grand Slam to what I was thinking about in the second set. Wasn't extend the draw. In the quad division it's knockout, eight concentrating enough. Credit to Heath. He played really players, as it should be. well in the second set. Just happy to get out of there with a win. I think you saw by some of the caliber of the matches, there's great quality players. It was a bummer I drew Q. You commented on the no crowds. Did you find Heath first for him, because we always play each other you had to create your own energy out there? here. I think knockout is what it should be. Eight players. DYLAN ALCOTT: Yeah, Craig Tyzzer, Ash Barty's coach, said, I felt like I saw the whole match because you Always leading the way, the Australian Open. Putting us were commentating it. And I need to, because being on a center court, Rod Laver Arena first time, broadcast, talkative is something that's very helpful to me, as you Wide World of Sports live, first time. There's something probably know. I had to bring my own vibe out there. I about this place that really embraces wheelchair tennis. didn't do that at the start of the second set and I think that's why my level dropped. Shout-out to them. Hopefully the other Grand Slams 104667-1-1044 2021-02-14 04:50:00 GMT Page 1 of 2 follow suit, as well. I think they will. They can see the benefit of it because people want to watch now because it's such an elite sport. Q. You're going for your seventh straight quad singles crown. Are you still as hungry today as you were in the beginning? DYLAN ALCOTT: Great question. Yes, I am here at Melbourne Park, for sure. I had a little lull at the end of last year at the US Open because it was the same time the Paralympic Games should have been. That got postponed. I would be lying if I said I wasn't upset when that happened. I was trying to act cool, but I was gutted. Such a buildup for four years. I think I got pumped at the US Open final. I think that was good that that happened because it rejuvenated my hunger. I played great at Roland Garros. Had a great pre-season. Put on a bit of size, been really smashing the gym and stuff. Trying to find other ways to get hungry. I'm really excited about being here at Melbourne Park. If you are an Australian tennis player and you're not hungry to win the Australian Open, there's something seriously wrong with you in terms of your tennis. So until I still have that hunger. I won't be here any more if I don't. I definitely do. I think the extended draw size, it being knockout, it being live on TV, all those things are reasons for you to get hungry. So I'm trying to focus on them. Looking forward to my next round. FastScripts by ASAP Sports 104667-1-1044 2021-02-14 04:50:00 GMT Page 2 of 2.