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ROLAND GARROS

May 25, 2016

Milos Raonic

Paris, France

M. RAONIC/A. Mannarino

6-1, 7-6, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can't be too straightforward but can we say that you understood the dimensions of the court very well today?
MILOS RAONIC: In what sense?

Q. You hit a lot of balls in the right places and hit them well.
MILOS RAONIC: Yeah, played well. I guess I hit a lot of balls and hit them well. (Laughter.)

Q. Second set was a little bit close, but even in the second set he played a little better. You really didn't have any lapses it didn't seem like the whole match.
MILOS RAONIC: Yeah, I think I just maybe became a little bit too passive. He was controlling more than I was in some parts of the second set, and I think that was pretty much the main thing we'll discuss when I sit down with Carlos and go over the match.

Overall I think I did a good job. I kept putting pressure on him and I was able to play on my terms pretty much most of the match.

Q. What's it like being back on that court?
MILOS RAONIC: Yeah, it's a little bit different. Takes a little bit of getting used to, especially because the court is big so you don't want to get caught too far behind.

But it's fun to be back there. I played two matches there two years ago and I was fortunate enough to get to play there early on in this tournament.

I enjoy the court. You have to definitely keep a mind out for not getting caught too far back.

Q. This will sound a little silly, but why Snapchat? We're on social media, a lot of us. Why did you chose to be a part of that network?
MILOS RAONIC: First of all, I think at first I thought Snapchat was going to disappear. I didn't think it was going to be something that was going to stick around too much.

From a logical standpoint, probably the social media one that has the most interaction and people actually pay the most attention to.

From an enjoyment standpoint, I had fun with my girlfriend's Snapchat a few times. I thought, Okay, I think I could do a more lighthearted version of what I tend to do in general. We'll see how it goes. Hopefully doesn't get me in trouble.

Q. Looking forward to the rest of the tournament, obviously pretty satisfied with how you're playing, but anything you would like to improve?
MILOS RAONIC: I feel like I just have to find my setting a little bit. I feel like throughout matches I'm not on top of things all the time. I feel like I'm having small little let-go's. Not mental lapses, but I'm not on top of my game and dictating the whole time.

That's the thing that I have to be a little bit better on and avoid letting myself get passive. I think that's one thing I could do better. I will probably pay attention to working on those things and discussing those things and putting as much as attention to it as I can tomorrow in the practice.

Q. You have so much success with your kicker you ever think about not hitting the big one?
MILOS RAONIC: We've discussed it, but today I think it was really because he's left-hand said. That goes to his forehand. He was sort of swinging at it a lot of time when he had looks on the return.

So I wasn't facing break points, but if I was struggling I would definitely do that more. It would get my first serve percentage up and it would help me out.

Q. The one time that you played your next opponent - and I remember this in the quallies in Australia; you were pretty much losing your stuff. You managed to pull it together and have a good -- that was your good run at a slam. Do you remember that match, and do you look back at the on-court stuff and go, Was that really me?
MILOS RAONIC: I can't remember exactly what was going on. I believe he was serving for the match at one point in the second set and I just started running and just sort of scrapping the ball in the court and managed to get through that match. Played well after in the third as well.

But, yeah, things could possibly be quite different, at least at that part of -- the start of 2011. But I am definitely far beyond the player I was back then. Mentally light years away and physically as well what I'm able to do.

So it's going to be is difficult match. I will have to study up. I remember a few things from him back then, but what I remember I already discussed with Carlos. He only saw one game of the match. I am sure he'll watch it more. He thought it was actually the opposite way, so I'll have to pretty much discard that as much as possible and sort of do my research all over again.

Q. The slams have become so big. How did you balance your year as far as making sure that you're also peaking for the big ATP tournaments? Also, as someone who helps promote the tour throughout the year, how are you trying to make sure the tour remains a viable thing as the slams get bigger?
MILOS RAONIC: I think a lot of people tend to have limited resources, and they tend to put those limited resources towards slams. Yes, the world has gone through some slumps financially over the last few years.

I think that people are overlooking the importance of Masters to us. I think that these tournaments, these smaller tournaments and the way that the top players approach them I don't believe is really any different than the way a player approaches a slam.

I think maybe just because of a psychological and social buildup around slams guys take a little extra sense of paranoia to make sure they're a little bit more prepared for slam.

I think it's a little bit tragic to overlook the tour for the success of four slams. I think people can still achieve great things and the slams are part of that. I don't think it should be any different from what we do throughout the year. I think it's sort of the buildup.

Q. You have spoken earlier this year about your visits to the art museum in Melbourne and art gallery in L.A.; now we're here in Paris, a city which has revolutionized and changed art in different periods. Could you just talk about your thoughts about Paris and the art scene or if there is some shows you have seen either this year or in the past?
MILOS RAONIC: Well, two years ago I wasn't really that into art when I was last here. This year I've been trying to go -- there is the new museum. I believe it's close to here in the park, the LVMH Museum that I would love to see. Then there is also the MusÃ©e d'Orsay -- is d'Orsay the contemporary museum? I've never done the Louvre. I did the Vatican in Rome. I don't know if I'm really for all those big crowds, let's say.

I felt almost like a tour guide for my girlfriend because I was the tallest one there and she was just sticking close and following me.

But I would definitely like to see those two. I think the thing that I actually get the most impressed with Paris is the containment of the beauty of the architecture that is here. There is a lot of character in each building, and I think that's probably what I've walked around to see the most, just because I haven't gotten around to the museums.

Q. Do you prefer Paris or Rome?
MILOS RAONIC: I prefer walking around in Paris. I prefer the, let's say, the historic sites of Rome, especially because I don't know that much about them. I've spent more time even away from tournaments in Paris. I feel like in Rome for the first time I went with the tour guide in the Colosseum, and I felt like I knew quite a bit. At the end of the day I was shocked at some of the things I heard.

I think I have a lot more exploring to do in Rome, but Paris doesn't lack any history or culture. I think my fitness trainer was telling me today they almost tore down the Eiffel Tower after it was built because the big artists here were complaining about how ugly they thought it was.

It was one of the key things in the first World War to intercepting the radios of the Germans. I guess little things like that I guess you tend to pick up all throughout.

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