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ROLAND GARROS

May 24, 2016

David Goffin

Paris, France

D. GOFFIN/G. Barrere

6-3, 6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. I suppose you're satisfied? This is accomplished duty?
DAVID GOFFIN: Yeah, I played late and I waited for the whole day. It's never easy to wait, to prepare your day and schedule it when there are long matches, it was the case with the girls before, and then an extra match that is Lucas Pouille and Julien Benneteau.

So this was long, not easy. But then I'm very happy to have finished today with a good match.

Q. Would you say that all in all you have managed the points well? There were a few break points, but then you had the upper hand during the rallies?
DAVID GOFFIN: Yeah, I had the upper hand from the beginning to the end and posed my style of game. He was hitting really big shots. So if you let him play, he can have really good shots, winning shots, and points. So you had to try and fight back so that he wouldn't play his own style and game, and so that he would be really very present on the court. I had to be aggressive.

He served well even though he was not really hitting the points, but he would serve smartly. I could have broken him more, but I did that at the right moment.

So I'd say that I was feeling good against him.

Q. Now, against Berlocq it's going to be tough. He's difficult to handle on clay. You're both good clay players.
DAVID GOFFIN: That's true. He's a clay player. He's proven that during the qualification rounds, winning a few good matches. I didn't watch the end of his match, but I saw the points going through and the results were really hard.

But then it's going to be a difficult match. He's a fighter, and he fights for all the points. He plays well on clay, but I think I have something I can do, I can hit the points just after the rebound and make him run. And after four matches, I hope he's going to be tired.

Q. Have you played against him already?
DAVID GOFFIN: No.

Q. You saw him play during the Davis Cup?
DAVID GOFFIN: Yes, he played the doubles. Doubles is different, you know.

Q. Can you tell me more about Thomas Johansson, your cooperation, what he brings with you? Together with Thierry, of course.
DAVID GOFFIN: Yeah, I told everybody already. Now, for you, Serge, I'm going to repeat it for you, certainly. Well, since the Australian Open he's given me so much. As I said before, this is a person I needed in my team. I wanted to hire him. I wanted him to give me this little something, this something I needed in addition to Thierry's experience. He's won Grand Slams, he was in the top 10. He is more or less like him. He was serving well, a good hand, a good slice, moving to the net.

These are all the reasons why I wanted to work with him.

And then it's also a good person with good values. For the time being, everything's okay.

Q. What about the future matches? You're going to play against good clay players.
DAVID GOFFIN: I don't know. I look at Berlocq match after match. I know he probably played a good match, Berlocq, but clay is his surface. We have many good clay players here. It's the second round. There is a big clay player, I'll focus on him, and then we will see next.

Q. People expect a lot from you here. Is it a source of motivation for you here more than pressure, would you say?
DAVID GOFFIN: Well, it's the same each year. That is, I wouldn't say I'm used to it, but each year it's the same, the same pressure, the Belgians are here, a bit of everything. There is so much about this tournament. And for you, as well. It's not that far for you, so you can come here from Belgian. So that's why this one is different from the other Grand Slam tournaments.

Yet I'm used to that. I manage this better and better as years go by, and that's only thanks to my experience.

And I hope now that I'll be able to continue just like today and manage pressure well, manage the event well. You know, three sets is never easy. I hope it's going to continue like this.

Q. The weather conditions were not that good. Did you manage to practice well and find a covered court?
DAVID GOFFIN: Yeah. There was a club in the town of Rueil-Malmaison. Most of the players were there. We practiced, had a good week with good weather conditions. So I practiced well.

Well, during these two past days, it was just like a quick practice. I had to just hit a few points. But I had my game level, so no problem.

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