Winner of Thiago Seyboth Wild on Monday in the first round, the 37-year-old Frenchman was happy to have managed to play well in the night session on center court.
A Roland-Garros
How do you feel afterwards this victory. You were ill last week and you had to withdraw from Lyon…
I’m better. I felt good when I arrived in Lyon, I had time to work well again physically after losing in the first round in Madrid and Rome. Unfortunately I got sick. As usual, it’s different here. From the moment I knew I could play, I knew I could perform. In the match, I started well, I felt good. I had a passage where I made 2-3 mistakes in a row, he (Thiago Seyboth Wild) immediately got into it well and made fewer mistakes at that time. I had some opportunities that I didn’t manage to take to get back to the break but I think I had a lot of calm today. Even at the start of the third, the same, I don’t have success on things, serve-volleys, but I go there because I feel good, I feel that I am playing correctly. Afterwards, I found my tempo.
I didn’t want to disappoint Amélie Mauresmo. In the night session, you have to play well.
Gaël Monfils
Tell us about Amélie Mauresmo’s strategy of making you play in night sessions
First of all, there’s something that everyone knows: Rafa doesn’t like to play in the evening. It’s not a secret. I didn’t want to disappoint her, in the night (session) you have to play well. I was sure of myself, the doctor was quite confident with his antibiotics, he doubled the dose, suddenly I felt much better. It’s a bit of a caricature but that’s a bit like it. I thanked her because she trusted me and I don’t like to disappoint. Win or lose, it doesn’t matter, you have to perform. I succeeded.
Last year the press conference was around the same time. Twenty-four hours later, we learned that you were injured. Everything is okay, reassure us?
Look, I hurt my wrist during the match (laughs). I scared myself a little, I hit the Lacoste thing with my racket and I twisted my wrist a little. I will not do an exam. Normally it should be fine. There are two days of rest.
Why did you want to follow Nadal’s match before your match?
It’s important because it’s the legend of all of us. He returns. It’s impossible not to look at him. I love it. Not a top tennis player doesn’t like watching Rafa. He’s the “king” of clay, he comes back and he plays, it’s important to watch. Will we have more? I’m happy because he gave you a good right, he told you that it wasn’t over… I found it beautiful to see. I was happy. I watched the beginning, then when it got broken I had to take a nap. I woke up, I wanted to know the score, it was 6-3. I realized that I hadn’t slept too much, but at the same time I said to myself f***, I’m screwing up my preparation. I saw the second (set). Today, on what Rafa showed… He beats many in the table.
We saw you commune with the audience, and celebrate demonstratively at the end…
During the match it really helps you, you gain positive energy and adrenaline, you are more conquering, you have a boost of energy. This is exceptional. In the end, when I won, I had a lot of things on my mind. I told myself that it was the first time my fitness coach was there, so I had to do the little dance. I was also so happy for mpi to win this match because it was not easy. I was happy.
Do you still have the Olympic Games in mind?
It would be an incredible privilege. This would be my fifth Olympics campaign, my fourth. I don’t think many players have done that. It’s been 100 years since the Olympic Games were held in France, that would be exceptional. Playing at Roland-Garros in two sets would be great. When I said I wanted to play them, it was to give myself a goal. He’s almost reached, now I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
Comments collected at a press conference
