ADELAIDE INTERNATIONAL

January 17, 2026

Tomas Machac

Press Conference

T. MACHAC/U. Humbert

6-4. 6-7, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Tomas, congratulations on the win today, and winning the tournament. What are your key takeaways from your week here in Adelaide?

TOMAS MACHAC: Well, I was very happy with the performance what I was playing the whole week. I think the level of the tennis was pretty high. I'm so glad that I could hold it all the week.

So, especially today, Ugo was playing great tennis as always. In the end of the tournaments he's playing always great, so I prepared for that very well. In the third set I bring a great level of the tennis, and I manage to break him first time in the third set, and I just keep the strong level, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: We'll go to questions in the room.

Q. Looked like you didn't get down after losing that second set. You came out of the box quick for that third set and you were putting a lot of pressure on his serve. How did you see that part out there creating a lot of opportunities for yourself on his serve?

TOMAS MACHAC: Well, I have to put a lot of, how you do you say, better emotions out there the second set to my team. Because I need to, how to say, not keep it, but say something to the team, something aggressive, because I need to sometimes put the emotions up.

I just keep the focus in the third set. I manage to keep the level of the tennis pretty high from the beginning of the third set, so that was great key in the game. Yeah, I just started to play even a little bit more aggressive. Then I was keeping the serve also very well. So it was a very difficult match today.

Q. Jiri Lehecka won this tournament two years ago. Have you chatted him at all in the past week or so, and are you guys keen to continue the strong tradition of Czech players who have had a lot of success here in Australia, going back to the days of Lendl and so forth?

TOMAS MACHAC: Yeah, I think we play great in Australia because the surface and the conditions are, I think we like it, the three of us, all three of us. So, yeah, we didn't chat about it, but, yeah, it always show that we can play with the best players in the world, that we can bring this level. We know that, so we try to push each other every week. Yeah, that's something what is great for us and for Davis Cup.

Q. How are you physically? It's been a long week for you, but how has your body held up given what's looming in Melbourne?

TOMAS MACHAC: Well, I think I spend lots of time, here in Australia I spend lots of time on the court, not like in pre-season, unfortunately. But my physical part is now, I would say like good. I was feeling good in the third set. I didn't have any problems. I didn't cramp. There was no even, how to say, small chances to cramp, so that was great. I think for Melbourne I'm pretty well prepared.

But it's always going to change the conditions. When you finish the tournament, you will always be tired. So for sure I will be a little bit tired. But I have two days to recover, and when I arrive to Melbourne there will be again new energy, new, how to say, motivation. So, yeah, let's see. I go day by day.

Q. You had quite a tough draw in Melbourne, with Dimitrov and then maybe Tsitsipas and Musetti. Can you talk a little bit about what you're expecting from those players and how you feel about your draw?

TOMAS MACHAC: Yeah, it's not easy draw, but for me I didn't arrive to Australia to search for easy draw. I am happy that I manage to win the title. For me, everything what I will play in Melbourne is something that I'm very glad after the injury that I can be in this moment right now with a trophy and with a great level of tennis.

For me to play Grigor is great because I would like to, I am very happy to share the court with him and with those players, and let's see.