“What does this victory against Laslo Djere at Wimbledon represent?
It has a special taste, a special flavour. I’m very happy. It reflects the level I’ve had for months. To play qualifying and first round against a good player, a victory in five sets, it’s great. My last victory here was five years ago, in 2019. It’s great. That’s why I continue to train and make a lot of effort, to play these tournaments and go as far as possible. It’s already been four matches, I’ve been here for two weeks, normally the tournament is over. I’m starting the third week (smile).
“I was lucky that the French team doctor was there with the Games. It was a good thing. I was able to get all the care I needed every day to recover properly.”
How did you manage this match over two days?
It’s a bit of a special match. I started off really badly. I tensed up pretty quickly when I got broken in the first set. There was a side where I couldn’t see anything at all. Afterwards, I was a bit inside, I wasn’t really playing, I wasn’t aggressive. Then I managed to turn the match into a set, a break against me where I started to attack him. I got ahead. On the return leg today (Wednesday), few firsts, he attacks me, he plays better. I stay calm, I know what a five-set match is, a lot of things can happen.
In my head I’m saying to myself: you have to hold him, until 3-3, 4-4, that’s when he can get tense, get angry, get excited on his own. I broke him pretty quickly in the fourth, I hold him. And from the moment I take the lead in the fifth, he cracked. That’s a bit what I was hoping for. I knew he had this little flaw where from time to time he can get excited on his own. And he’s not the same player at all.
How is your left thigh, strapped since qualifying?
I have things all over the place, but it’s better. There was still a small lesion with a grade between 1 and 2. The quadriceps is a big muscle. I was lucky that the French team doctor was there with the Games. It was good. I was able to do all the care every day to recover well. I continue to play strapped because I still feel it. I deal with it, there’s no choice.
