“What do you think was missing in the third set tiebreak to win the match (6-4, 6-7 [3], 7-6 [5])? It came down to very little. I’ll have to wait a little longer, be a bit more patient. But I believe in the process, I need to continue doing what I’m doing well, continue with the same mindset, and I’m sure it will pay off one day. It really came down to nothing, I have no regrets, it was a fabulous match, I had a great time. Honestly, it was one of the best atmospheres I’ve experienced. So, it was fantastic. The thing that makes me the saddest is not being able to give the victory to all those who supported me. They pushed me until the end and that’s my regret.”
“What do you think the match came down to? First of all, I was exhausted after an hour and a half. I stepped onto the court and fainted. I really pushed myself to the limit, I have no regrets. When you end up in that state, it just means I gave my best, it came down to very little so congratulations to him. I left the court, completely out of breath and my eyes started to close. I told Jérémy, ‘I need to lie down and elevate my legs because I’m about to pass out.’ Then the doctor arrived, I drank some Coke and had to lie down for 10 minutes. It happens to me from time to time. Everything just suddenly came down, I was in a trance-like state during the match, I gave it my all, I experienced it fully, so I think it’s normal.”
“I feel like I have the level to win these kinds of events.”
“How did you feel after missing eleven break points, and then finally succeeding on the twelfth? I had opportunities, maybe sometimes I lacked a bit of aggressiveness. He served well. There are a few moments I remember where I didn’t play well, where I lacked intention, aggressiveness, that’s what was missing. And after I broke back at 5-4, I entered this kind of bubble, a sphere, and I felt really good. Jérémy (Chardy, his coach) gave me a lot of strength. And then I managed to stay calm until the end, to really play point by point. I felt much more comfortable, I felt like I needed to make it happen to feel better.”
“We can imagine the disappointment, but you don’t seem as affected by it. Is it because you’re able to hold on to the pleasure of this match? It was a great match, I would have preferred to win, of course. But the only regret is that I couldn’t offer the victory to the crowd. In terms of how I played, I did more good things than bad. Over the past year, I’ve given my all every day, I have no regrets, I have to continue and one day it will work, I will manage to win these kinds of matches. I feel like I have the level to win these kinds of events.”
“At the beginning of the week, you talked about your desire to play in Metz next week. Do you still have the energy to go there? It’s easier when it’s at home, that’s for sure. That’s the only thing missing for me this year, not winning a title. It will be my last challenge, I’m going to give it my all to try and achieve it.”
“Do you feel like you’re getting closer to these players, maybe a top 15, a top 10? I’m not that far off. First of all, I will be at my best ranking, I believe, next week (currently 22nd in the race, when his best ranking was 25th in 2021). What feels good is being able to play these players regularly for a few weeks now. I’m starting to get used to the intensity, the level of play, what I need to produce on the court to beat this kind of player. So yes, I feel like I’m getting closer. It hasn’t been that long since I’ve been playing at this level, putting in this investment in matches, this commitment. But I tell myself that if I continue, at some point, it will happen.”
