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MONTE-CARLO ROLEX MASTERS

April 13, 2016

Lucas Pouille

Monte Carlo, Monaco

L. POUILLE/R. Gasquet

4-6, 7-5, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. Apparently you were better than Richard in this match.
LUCAS POUILLE: Well, yes, I finished the match being in better shape than he was. I felt good physically. I could have gone on. The temperature was ideal. It was not too hot.

But, of course, I understand that starting the clay court season is a bit difficult. I was able to get ahead in this match.

Q. How do you see your next match?
LUCAS POUILLE: I will approach that match the same way I did today. He's going to be a very different player. He's much more aggressive. I believe he will want to use his serve and try to make me move.

But I feel good. I hit the ball well. I'll try to play my game and not let him dominate the rallies. I will keep doing what I've been doing since the beginning of this tournament.

Q. How did you beat Richard? Did you have a specific game plan?
LUCAS POUILLE: Yes, I wanted to make him move around. In the beginning of the match, the sun was getting low and it was very difficult to see the ball. But I was able to loop my backhand, and he was not able to step into the court. He wasn't able to destabilize me. I was dominating the rallies. I was the one winning the points and making the mistakes.

I believe he didn't make many passing shots during the match. So the level of game went up little by little during the match.

Q. Is it a good victory for you?
LUCAS POUILLE: Well, at least it makes me more confident. It's in the line of what happened in Miami. When I talk about being consistent, this is what I mean: beating those players as often as possible and going as far as I can in the tournaments. Now I'm in the Round of 16 and I'll do everything I can do to be in the quarterfinals.

Q. Often you had good results, but it was difficult for you to be consistent over time.
LUCAS POUILLE: This is exactly what I'm trying to improve. I want to be more consistent. I can't say I'm succeeding now. If I lose first round in the next tournament, I'll seem stupid.

But winning here made me more confident. Beating Ferrer proved things to myself. So when I stepped onto the court today, I really wanted too win. The only thing I have in my mind is my eagerness to play. This is only positive.

Q. Gasquet was very complimentary about you. He said you will become the No. 1 French player.
LUCAS POUILLE: Well, this is the reason why I'm practicing. But Richard is a great player. It's not because I beat him today that I believe I'm better than he is. On the contrary, my goal is to come closer to his level and to beat him more often. They are players I want to beat and to take their place in Davis Cup. I'm joking (laughter).

But this was not the best match of our careers, for both of us. It was one of the first matches we were playing on clay. I know when Richard is not playing well and being aggressive, you have a chance. This is what I kept trying to do. I kept playing that way and it paid off.

Q. You make strange choices for your schedule. You went to Dubai. Can you explain?
LUCAS POUILLE: It's been nine years I've been in the Federation. It's my tenth year. Through nine years I have prepared indoors, in the cold. The year starts with the sun in Australia. What I wanted to do is to go away to practice in the sun, to practice where it was hot.

Well, the temperature was reasonable. It was between 25 to 30 degrees. But when you get up at 8:00 in the morning and it's 20 degrees, it's a lot better, you have higher spirits.

Of course, it's tough to go away. I go away from my family. Normally during that time of the year, I spend more time with them. But luckily my girlfriend came with me and my coach came with me. I also decided to have a personal physical trainer. These things are good for me.

I'm touching wood, but I hope it's going to continue that way for me. It's good that young players invest in their own projects. You need to invest if you want to reach the highest level and if you want to beat the top players. This is what I'm trying to do.

Q. Did you realize that you had to do that recently or did you always know you would have to do that?
LUCAS POUILLE: No, I always knew that. But there are moments to do that. Investing in a physical trainer costs a lot of money, of course. Sometimes you can't do it. It's not the right moment. But now I can do it. I can pay for my physical trainer, and I can travel with my girlfriend, which is extremely good for me. We are often the four of us on the tour. It's very pleasant. I'm not complaining. I'm very happy.

It must continue that way.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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