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ROLAND GARROS

June 1, 2016

Richard Gasquet

Paris, France

A. MURRAY/R. Gasquet

3-6, 6-4, 6-1, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. The match was really equilibriated [sic] in the first two sets? What happened? No energy or Murray makes a lot of dropshots?
RICHARD GASQUET: No. To be honest, he played well at the end of the second set, you know. I had 5-All, Love-30 on his serve and he play three unbelievable serves.

Same in tiebreak. I'm leading 3-1 and I'm not lucky with the net. Then he is playing unbelievable. I just start at the start of the third set I know I need to push him to play again, and he just played very good, you know.

So of course it was very difficult for me to lose 3-0 [sic] in the third set, but after that, you know, of course in the fourth it was a little bit more difficult for me physically.

To be honest, he just played better than me. He didn't miss a return after that, and especially the court was very slow, very difficult for my game, especially for the serve. When I'm playing a guy like Murray who is never missing a return, it's very difficult.

Q. In general, it's true they say it's very difficult for the French players to assume the pressure to play here, but I think in any case you were having a good time.
RICHARD GASQUET: No, no problem at all. It's not just because of the pressure I lost the match. Just he played better than me and that's all. No, I had no pressure on the court.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. Talk about the moment when the match turned around. He played many dropshots during the third set and you paid the price during the other sets.
RICHARD GASQUET: No, not during the third set, but it's afterwards. Yeah, he didn't miss any of his returns. It's impressive. Each time I was serving, looking for the angles, and he would return everything.

The end of the second set was difficult. You know, it was 5-All, Love-30, and he was serving. Then each time he would return better, serve better. During the beginning of the third set he was totally at ease. He was returning in an incredible way.

The surface was difficult. You know, no free points for me in three-and-a-half hours. That's when it's complicated. And that was the case. He's the best - with Djoko - in the world, so he's a very, very solid player.

Q. When you play against him usually you win the first set and then it's more complicated. Is there something that's physical when it's about you and Andy? Because he doesn't give you free points. Psychologically it's difficult?
RICHARD GASQUET: Well, I can't say that during the fourth set I played better than the first set. It's tiring and complicated. You have to play all the shots. Even today, you know, today the court was so slow. I have never seen such a slow court. The balls were so big. It's not good for me.

You know, I had to hit 15 shots before I could win a point, and his serves were winners. It's complicated. If I couldn't do something well during the second set, you know, and then he was comfortable and he played in a monstrous way.

You know, he didn't miss any points that he was defending. He was hitting just after his rebound, during the fourth set, I didn't have that much energy. And then what I was missing is half a second. I had less strength in my legs and I paid the full price.

Q. Had you won the second...
RICHARD GASQUET: Had I won the second set it would have been a totally different match. It was then a set to go out of three. Yeah, the match would have been a totally different match had I won the second, but then he played the beginning of the third set in a phenomenal way.

Maybe he wouldn't have played in the same way. I agree. It's his returns. His returns, I was amazed. He didn't miss any of these returns.

Q. What about the tiebreak? Would you say that this is when it changed the whole match? You were up 3-1 at the tiebreak and then you came to the net.
RICHARD GASQUET: Yeah, that's when it all happened. Look at the score. You know, he played a lot better afterwards. He was more comfortable, more at ease. Beginning of the third set, as I said, was exceptional for him.

So, yeah, this is the most important set. Then if it's two sets-love it's a different match. Then he played better. It was more difficult for me to play. It's a pity I didn't win the tiebreak. I didn't make any silly mistakes.

You know, he served so well. Plus the let. You know, 4-2 would have been different. That's the difference during the second set.

And a lot of effort. I was losing 5-2 for the first one, 5-3 for the second one, and not easy. It's more than three-and-a-half hours we played, you know, and no winning serve for the whole match. It's not easy.

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