	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

BNP PARIBAS MASTERS PARIS

November 3, 2016

Lucas Pouille

Paris, France

A. MURRAY/L. Pouille

6-3, 6-0

An interview with:

LUCAS POUILLE

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. I saw there was a lot of frustration in this match. It was like Shanghai. You had game points. Were you tense? Why didn't you make them?
LUCAS POUILLE: Yes, I started off quite good, 15-40. The ball went out by a very little distance. After that, I was up 30-Love. So there were many games where I had game points on my serve and break points, and I was never able to convert them.

It was a bit like the other matches. So I don't know whether I'm not realistic enough or maybe not bold enough in those moments. I think I'll have to watch the match again and see exactly what happened.

It's a pity, because in the end it was 6-3, 3-Love. During the first three games of the second set I had game points, break points, and it was always game for him. So it's 3 and Love, but it doesn't show the level of the game. Of course he's better than I am. But I think the score doesn't reflect the game.

Q. Now the season is over. Can you assess that year? Would you have signed for it in the beginning of the year?
LUCAS POUILLE: Yes, of course. I might be top 15 after this tournament. I had many victories. I'm happy the way I played, the way I improved, the way I managed the season. I'm happy now that I have a break, because I will be able to collect myself.

I'll be stronger next year. I'll stop on the 25th of November. It will be two weeks. It's not that long. For me, it's enough. If I need two extra days, I will take them, of course. But I'm not going to take 10 extra days, for sure.

Q. Those last two matches against Murray, do you really want to see them on the video to see if you can improve?
LUCAS POUILLE: I already watched the one from Shanghai. Today's match is a match I'm not going to watch tomorrow. Because I need a break now from tennis.

If Jo is in the final, I'll come back to Bercy. Otherwise I'll get away from tennis. I'll watch the match when we will start practicing again to see what he does to bother me so I can be better next time.

Q. So it's three bad losses. When you were younger, were you watching TV a lot? I was thinking about an advertisement for an insurance company. What is the slogan of the guy on the advertisement?
LUCAS POUILLE: I don't remember.

Q. Well, the slogan was "One Day I'll Get Him."
LUCAS POUILLE: I don't know what to answer to that.

Yes, of course I hope I'll get him one day.

I forgive you. It's the end of the season.

Of course the score is negative, but it's not only a negative match. There were positive things. So I need to go on holidays, remembering everything that went well in the season and work on what didn't go well.

Q. He's always able, apparently, to save the break points you have. Maybe you are impressed by the choices he makes on those particular shots?
LUCAS POUILLE: Yes, he's very good. Often he makes a very good first serve or he plays the right shot. So the return that went out by five centimeters, he doesn't really control it. It's tennis.

It's like yesterday in the doubles I made a passing shot that hit the net. If it was one millimeter higher, I would have won the match. So that's tennis.

I believe the confidence he built up lately helped him, and that is one reason why he is almost No. 1 this year.

Q. Is it good for you to practice with the best players? What would you like to take from Murray? What would you like to do like him, either technical or tactically?
LUCAS POUILLE: There are several things I would like to take from him. Physically I believe he's incredible. He brings back many balls, and he always gets you to play a tough shot. Many other players bring back the ball, but it's an easy shot. Even if you do an overhead, it's going to go on the right side of the court, and once he did that and passed me.

So physically he's good, he knows how to anticipate the shots, and he's very good from the baseline.

Q. What will you do during the holidays? Are you going to want to take your racquet?
LUCAS POUILLE: Oh, no, absolutely not. I will completely forget about tennis. Next time I'll take a racquet in my hand will be when I start practicing again, except if I go back home and my brother says, Do you want to play tennis with me? Then I will play with him, of course, with pleasure. But it's not gonna come from me.

So during the holidays, I'll see my friends and party and go to lie in the sun and relax.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297