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ROLAND GARROS

May 24, 2016

Timea Bacsinszky

Paris, France

T. BACSINSZKY/S. Soler-Espinosa

6-3, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. Could you tell us something about this match? A debrief, please.
TIMEA BACSINSZKY: I'm very happy, happy with this first win here. In general, I could say that -- how can I say? I did exactly what I have been trying to do; not to be brilliant but to be good.

The beginning of the match was not excellent. I had to find the best way to play. I was playing slowly. It was difficult for me to hit back. I thought she would, her thoughts would be stronger, so I couldn't find the right pace.

I'm very happy to have changed the pace of the match. I took some risks, even though after a while I thought I had some leeway or room for maneuver. But then she had a break point against me. I had a break point, as well. I tried to do something at that moment. I don't know, a winning return shot, or I would go to the net.

I thought I was rather with courage, generally speaking, and the longer the match, the better I was feeling. I felt I'm in a comfort zone for me, and then I could unwind a little at the end of the match and relax, and therefore, do what I wanted to do today.

Q. How do you feel? The conditions are rather fresh and unusual here.
TIMEA BACSINSZKY: Well, yeah, that's true. Last year, for instance -- it's never been that heavy during any of my matches, not as heavy as today.

So it wasn't obvious. The beginning of the match wasn't obvious for this reason, because in the past two days I played on clay but indoors, and it's a lot faster, you know.

But I didn't want to waste too much energy and be here at Roland Garros and not be fit enough. But apart from this, yeah. Roland Garros is a good way for people to lose a lot of energy. That's what I want to avoid.

So I will practice on my own without trying to play outdoors, because I have played so many matches on clay. And, you know, Roland Garros, as well, it's the most pleasant type of clay in a certain way. All the types of clay I practice on, I know that I practice perhaps even harder because the clay is not as good as here.

But then this affected me, if I can say, had an impact on me during the first games of the match, but after a while, I managed to hit long and heavy points, and that was my cruise speed, I can say.

Q. What about this match against Bouchard?
TIMEA BACSINSZKY: Well, I don't really want to talk about this now. I know it's going to be really a tough match. She's such a strong player. I played against her on hard surfaces, but here it's on clay. It's going to be totally different. Recently she's played so well for more than six months, I think. So I know it's going to be a difficult match to win.

Apart from that, you know, you're not that often playing Grand Slam matches. I'm not Roger. I'm not Djoko, so I'll remember this win. This is what I'll remember before I think about two days from now. That's really far away.

Q. Yet you beat her once, I think. Does that count or not? Will you say you start from a blank page?
TIMEA BACSINSZKY: Well, to me, this doesn't really matter. It doesn't count. All matches are different. Even the one I played today, even though I defeated her several times, it was a different surface, the conditions were different. Another moment in my career, in her career. It's always the same for all tennis matches. So don't look too much into the past. In your experience in the past, they don't really impact what's in the present.

Q. We have seen a message in English that, I'm over it. Is that something that you need to see? Could you tell us more about this?
TIMEA BACSINSZKY: No, it's my favorite bag. I have had this bag for four years, more or less. By the way, if you follow me on the social media, you will see say I say this is my favorite bag. It's a common type of bag, but sometimes I use it. Sometimes I don't.

I have another one, another bag. It's the Food Truck Festival in Lausanne. I was there last Monday, and then the organizers were kind enough to give me this bag. The Lausanne Ã table. The words on it is: "On n'est pas sortis de l'auberge-ine." That's a play on words. It's not big enough for my things.

But, no, there is no special message. It's a common type of bag. If I don't want to take my tennis bag at the hotel, I take the things I need. That's all.

I have used it to pack my other clothes, outfits in it. You know, if it's raining, I have a second outfit. If it's raining again, I've got a third one. Plus all the other accessories. I'm always prepared.

I could have decided to have a tennis bag, but if I have to leave the courts, it's easier, it's more simple.

But there is no message. But I think the message is kind of nice, but I don't use it. There is no intention, you see.

And it's not to feel I am standing out, I'm different from the other ones.

Q. What's the best thing you have eaten at the Food Truck Festival in Lausanne?
TIMEA BACSINSZKY: Well, I love these, these press conferences. You know what I love? I love food. It's something that's very important for me.

I love discovering so many things. When is the Food Truck Festival? It's a big problem, there are so many things to eat. They were kind enough to give me arancini from Sicily and then soft shell tacos, a vegetarian meal. Another one was pulled pork. And then a hot dog with French fries. All of this with my best friend, you know. I'd like to say hello to her, by the way. She loves food as much as I love.

She doesn't know anything about tennis. I don't know anything about horse riding. But what we love, what unites us is this discovery of food.

Then there is the Hungarian specialty called kurtoskalacs, and, well, I hope the interpreters can understand this, or the typists write this down, it's called in French gateau d'cheminee, it's like a chimney or a stack. It's pastry that's on a wooden type of base and then it's dipped into sweet water and then it's grilled. I suppose you love that but I love talking about this.

Q. My question is: What about being Swiss and thinking that your godfather or "God" is not here, this is Roger? You are Swiss and Roger is not here. How do you feel during a Grand Slam tournament?
TIMEA BACSINSZKY: Well, now, those were your last two questions. You're not allowed to ask more questions. You asked a question about food truck and this one about Roger. No, I'm kidding.

No, I was very sad when I learned that. I was surprised, because to me, Roger is going to play when he reaches the age of, I don't know, 80, when he's very old. Mixed doubles, you name it. Roger is on the main draw, always, always. It's impossible for him not to be here.

That's why I thought, Oh, my. These things might happen, so maybe he's thinking about the long term even though he's getting older, but he probably feels he's very young.

You know, all of these years, successful years, he's really cared for himself, for his body. He's played 50 tournaments all around the globe with jet lags and things. Yet he's reached this level. He says next year he wants to be back.

This means -- well, I wish him all the best, to feel better soon. I'm a bit sad, that's true. And, oh, sorry, I didn't finish the other sentence. I was saying he's thinking about the long term. He has objectives for this season maybe he thinks, I'm not ready today, not now, but then who knows, maybe I will take care of my body I will be ready for Wimbledon or the Olympics. He can answer. I don't know.

Q. Back to tennis, are you satisfied with the level you have reached now and what you've shown during the first round?
TIMEA BACSINSZKY: Yes. Well, the objective is to win the very last point of the match. Sometimes you play well. Sometimes you don't play that well. But the objective is to end a match. Well, that's my objective, you see. My objective is to try and do this and do the same for the upcoming match. This is a win that's given me more confidence.

I have managed, as I was saying before, to take some risks and make decisions saying, okay, I'll try and return the points differently, more into the court. Sometimes it was good. Sometimes it wasn't.

And then I will manage to try a few shots, you know. Some of my -- how can I say? Some of my facets, of different facets. That's why I'm very happy with the way I have played.

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