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ROLAND GARROS

May 26, 2016

Virginie Razzano

Paris, France

D. KASATKINA/V. Razzano

3-6, 6-1, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French, please.

Q. Did you physically break down in this match? How do you explain the score?
VIRGINIE RAZZANO: Well, yes, obviously. I kind of broke down towards the end of the first set physically. I pushed to the limit in the first set, as I've been doing for a while, and have done since the start of my season. That's the level I'm playing at.

So, yes, it's exhaustion. I went as far as I could. I really pushed the limits to the last drop the juice I had. That's why I'm happy to have played up to this level. She may be young, but she really plays well. That's what made a difference.

She took the ball early; she played very aggressively, powerfully; I only managed to withstand that for one set. I knew perhaps my power would only last one, two, or three sets. I really didn't know how long I was going to be able to sustain that level.

Today was my ninth match. It's pretty fabulous to have been in such high-level matches since Strasbourg, from Strasbourg to the French Open.

It was really great and I'm really proud.

Q. You won the French Open juniors in 2000 and she did in 2014, so there is a bit of an age gap there. Do you feel you can still play tennis for long? How do you feel physically? Have you set a limit? Three, four years? What?
VIRGINIE RAZZANO: I said maybe two, three more years. I talked with myself and I said, Okay, I intend to play another two, three more years. I feel well physically. I work hard. Mentally I'm determined. I still want to continue to score points, to beat the best, to beat the top 10, top 20.

I know that that's the type of level I have. I know I have the capacity to beat the best. As long as I know that, as long as I'm prepared physically and in my personal life if I can still play tennis - unless of course I'm injured - well, I'll just go on.

Q. So what's on the schedule now? Grass or what? Beyond doubles.
VIRGINIE RAZZANO: Yeah, I have the mixed doubles still, and then I think I will take some well-deserved rest. This is my seventh tournament. I started in Croissy-Beaubourg, Katowice, Stuttgart, Prague. Five match from the qualifications, big matches.

After Prague, Cagnes-Sur-Mer, Strasbourg, and Roland Garros. That's what I've been doing. I've been at it for a while.

After this I think I really deserve a break. I'm going to take care of my knee. I have another pain in my knee. Well, in fact big pain. I need to take care of my knee. I've been stressing it to the limit since Strasbourg. I need to think about my knee, to think about myself.

So I'm going to take next week off, unless I'm still in the race in the mixed doubles. I'll start thinking about grass, which is my best surface. Although I play really well on clay, I feel comfortable on any surface, but grass is something that's really well-suited to my style of game.

So I'm thinking perhaps about the qualifications in Birmingham. I think I'm going to have to go through that for at least two, three months. I'm going to need to fight again for the qualifications for several tournaments.

Birmingham qualifications, then Wimbledon qualifications, and then I'll see.

Q. So is this good for you? Because you're playing well, but it's also good for you financially to continue your season. I'm not saying it's difficult. You don't need to be pitied in any way.
VIRGINIE RAZZANO: Shall I take someone to help me? I don't know. Maybe I'll continue to work on my own. I'm going to check my bank statement. I need to be careful. I have this strength within me that I'm able to analyze what's a good thing to do and what's not.

So there are probably a few more tournaments where I'll be on my own; others, such as Wimbledon, where my sparring partner will tag along.

Where it's slightly less interesting I'll go alone. In any case, if I have something to say about this place, it's that I was really happy to have this opportunity to play another fine Roland Garros.

I probably could have gone further this year. I had the physical ability, the shape, physical form, and the style perhaps to go on for another week, quite frankly. I know that I can. I don't know who there was after that, but I have a pretty robust level of tennis.

If I had been more refreshed that couldn't have happened. Because nine matches between Strasbourg and here, not many people would do it at 33. It proves that I'm reasonably fit. It's too bad that I wasn't refreshed when I came here.

I would've liked to go all the way to the end of the first week, beginning of the second week. You can't have it all. When you do the Strasbourg qualifications, go to the finals, it's not necessarily going to be a fact that you're going to go to the second week here.

In Strasbourg I managed to win against girls who were really strong. After a while, yes, you're not so fresh. It's only natural.

Q. (No microphone.)
VIRGINIE RAZZANO: Yeah, well, I don't know how many more Roland Garros. Tell me if you don't like to see my face. I still think it's great to be here and that I can thrive in my game of tennis.

Q. Paulo was saying I don't know how many more there will be behind that. I think you won the juniors at the same moment.
VIRGINIE RAZZANO: Oh, wow, that's great. I had no idea. Maybe we're going to be racing there to the finish. (Laughter.)

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