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U.S. OPEN

September 4, 2016

Lucas Pouille

New York, NY, USA

L. POUILLE/R. Nadal

6-1, 2-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What were you thinking after you lost those match points, and the forehand that could have killed you?
LUCAS POUILLE: At this time I was, okay, you have to save a match point. I couldn't believe he would miss it. But, you know, he's like every players. He feel the pressure as well. Even if he's one of the best, he feel the pressure.

It's a tough one to make at this time. Then when he missed it, of course was very happy. I can't say anything else.

Q. You played well the match point afterwards.
LUCAS POUILLE: After this I wanted to take my chance to be very aggressive, try to play with my forehand, and so that's what I did at the match point, yeah.

Q. At 6-5 in the tiebreak, your first serve hit past the baseline. How did you feel at that point?
LUCAS POUILLE: Bad. (Smiling.) I did couple of serve like this during the match. I had a very low percentage of first serve. It was like 40% or 44%. Yeah, I didn't serve pretty well.

But, you know, okay, I miss it, but I had a second serve. When I missed the forehand it was more difficult to turn at 6-All. It's okay. It was more funny than something else.

Q. How were you able to get past that?
LUCAS POUILLE: Yeah, it was behind me, you know. I made a lot of winners, so it was one mistake. That's it. Then with another match point I went with my forehand as well, again, and I did well.

Q. What is your explanation for your success at Wimbledon and here?
LUCAS POUILLE: I don't know. That I'm well physically. I'm stronger than before. I can play many matches. I can play three match in five sets in a row. It's long.

But, yeah, I did it pretty good. I think because mentally I'm stronger, physically I'm stronger, gave me a lot of confident before the match. I knew if I wanted to win that, it's not going to be like three sets, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2. It would be long.

So I was ready for it. I think I was 100% before the match.

Q. He beat you badly in Monte-Carlo, but you practiced.
LUCAS POUILLE: During the practice it was 6-1, 6-3 for him. I was not confident before the match.

Q. What did you learn from that?
LUCAS POUILLE: He was playing very fast. He was playing very close from the baseline during the practice. I was returning closer than today. If my return was not perfect, then he was going with the forehand and almost did only winners.

So today I decide to be, yeah, far from the baseline to hit hard the ball and try to then come closer. I think that was the good choice.

Q. With this win you're going to break into the top 20. Now that your ranking is this good, were you disappointed you didn't make the cut for the Olympic Games?
LUCAS POUILLE: I mean, now it's behind me. The cut was after the French Open, so it's two months later. But it's okay. I'm young. I will have the chance to play Olympics in four years, and maybe in eight years.

Of course when the cut came out I was disappointed, but now it's okay. It's behind me. I'm looking forward.

Q. (Question regarding the atmosphere.)
LUCAS POUILLE: I think it was the best atmosphere I played on a center court. Ashe is so big. I'm not used to play on this court. It was the first time. I practiced once last year.

I didn't even warm up on this court before the match, because otherwise I would have to come at 10:00 or 9:00 in the morning today. So at the end it was full. Sometimes I couldn't even hear myself when I was saying, Allez, allez, allez. Sometimes you can't even hear yourself.

Q. Do you think sometimes a match can change the career of a player? Do you think this match that you won could change your career, or it's one day like another?
LUCAS POUILLE: No, it could maybe. I will tell you in few months or in few years. Now if I say, yeah, of course it's going to change my career and in one year I am 50 I will say wrong.

So, yeah, maybe it will change my career, but I will see. It will give me a lot of confidence for the next round, for the rest of the season. But now I have one more match to play again, so we'll see after the tournament.

Q. You broke into the top 100 the end of last year. Now you are top 25 and going obviously to a better position. What did you change from past years?
LUCAS POUILLE: I moved to Dubai. We work a different way. We work, I think, harder. During the pre-season I change many things. I took my own physical trainer. He's traveling almost every time with us so we can work every day. Even in tournaments we keep working. We keep working.

I think mentally I'm stronger. I took a lot of confidence. The way I'm going on court is not the same as last year. Yeah, I think that's why I'm better than the year before. Of course, I'm a bit older, as well.

Q. Who is the best player you've ever practiced with and what did you learn from the experience?
LUCAS POUILLE: Tough question. I don't know. Djokovic. I have practiced with all the best. I think they're all unbelievable, incredible.

But the way they work, they're working so hard, and that's why they're here. There is no other reason. They're talented as well, but so many players are. The way they are putting attention on every shot, yeah, they're doing all perfectly.

During the pre-season I had the chance to practice with Roger and it was unbelievable. He was working so hard, like four hours, then rest, then next day the same.

To see that after a long career, all the success he has, it was great to see this.

Q. What did you learn about yourself when you practiced with some of the greatest players in history?
LUCAS POUILLE: The first set I won against Djokovic, for example, it was in Wimbledon before the tournament. So when you win a set during the practice, of course it's a practice, but it's a good thing. It prove you you can play at this level.

Now you have to make it in tournament. That's what I'm trying to do. That's what I'm doing in this tournament.

Q. Your next opponent is Gael Monfils. What is your impression of how he's playing right now?
LUCAS POUILLE: He's in very good form. He has won so many matches, yeah, for the last two months. He's very confident. He hasn't lost a set, so I know it's going to be hard.

But I'm playing well. I have good feelings on the court, so we'll see. I think it's going to be a tough match for me, but for him as well. It's going to be interesting.

Q. The United States doesn't have any more players in this tournament. Why do you think France is doing so well?
LUCAS POUILLE: I don't know. We are doing so well this year. Maybe in Australia you're going to do better than us. I don't know.

But for me, because I worked very hard, I'm feeling very confident, that's why I'm here. For Jo and Gael it's the same. They're unbelievable player. They are at this level for many years now, so...

Q. Did you know Yannick was in the stands watching?
LUCAS POUILLE: Yeah, I read that he was coming this morning. I saw him when he came in. Yes, it was very nice to have him and Cedric in the box.

Q. Who was your idol growing up?
LUCAS POUILLE: Roger Federer.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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