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BNP PARIBAS MASTERS PARIS

November 2, 2016

Gilles Simon

Paris, France

G. SIMON/R. Bautista Agut

2-6, 6-1, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. So you seemed particularly nervous in certain stages. We don't often see you like that. Is it because it's the end of the season or because your opponent was making it difficult for you?
GILLES SIMON: Well, I was tired, indeed, but with that comes also stupid things. It was tough. I was trying to just stay focused, but I was sleeping. I couldn't see the ball. I was late. Things were not going well. I thought I needed to do something about it, and I didn't find anything else to do.

But often when you try to get moving, I have tons of things going through my mind, and some of them are not really good. So I would like to find a better way, anyway.

Q. You had a complicated season, but you're ending the season well. Is this match a reward for all your efforts? Because you wouldn't have done so well earlier.
GILLES SIMON: I was just trying to do the best I could. I didn't think I could win it. I knew the match would be tough.

I was surprised that I was able to dominate in the second part of the match. I was disappointed with myself. I was trying to keep my pace, but I started playing bad for two games and I knew he was going to start playing better because of that. This is exactly what happened.

So sometimes you're not able to make the extra effort, so 5-3, 40-15, you are almost losing it and it's a miracle that I was able to pull out of this situation. I had really to make an immense effort to turn around the match, so it was not a good match.

Q. Question on a very precise point. At 6-All in the tiebreaker of the third, you made a winner with your backhand at the volley. What went through your mind at that stage? Is it just the instinct for survival?
GILLES SIMON: No. This is in line with what I have been doing during the past weeks. I was not losing all my matches and all my points, either.

Today I went up to the net. Against Julien I did the same. I did that against Lopez and Murray in Vienna. Already yesterday against Julien it was an important part of the game to do those volleys. Against Roberto today I was able to turn around some situations when I was at the net. The game meant that I had to go to the net at that particular moment.

So I really need to put pressure on him. In the end of the match, I had lost my pace. He was controlling the rallies. So that was what I had to do if I could do it, become aggressive and come to the net. So I just did it naturally, in fact.

Q. Court 1 is always a sort of punishment. You would prefer to be on center court? Do you understand the program?
GILLES SIMON: Oh, here they are doing well. I remember Murray/Del Potro on No. 1. They were top 4 and 6 in the world. It was a semifinal. I said, Okay.

No, it's tough because you're not playing on the same court. This is what is difficult. Two different courts are never the same. So center court is extremely big and Court 1 is very small. So this changes a lot.

It was very difficult for me to adapt to court No. 2 for the doubles, also. I know you don't care about my doubles, but I'm telling you it was tough. So, yes, it changes. It's not the same.

But tomorrow I will play on center court again. I'll have to adapt again. I will try to do better than today because 4-Love went too quickly. My ego is okay. Don't worry.

Q. You like playing Berdych? He seems a bit tired in the end of the season. What do you think about that match?
GILLES SIMON: I don't know many players who like to play Berdych. I think the last match I lost 1 and love in 46 minutes.

But as Richard says, it depends if Tomas comes or it's his brother. (Laughter.)

He takes a lot of risks. Some days everything goes out. But when it goes in, it's tough.

In Rotterdam, it was difficult to follow him. And I didn't, in fact.

I know what I have to do to bother him. My game can be a challenge for him when he's not at his highest level.

Sometimes he plays on his own. He serves, hits hard, so that's why he always finishes the year being top 6, top 7, top 6, top 7, because he's extremely consistent and solid.

Q. Do you believe it's the end of the season? It's not his brother who's gonna come?
GILLES SIMON: Well, you know, I just played him a month ago. I saw him play in Tokyo.

He had just arrived. You know, I played him once or twice where he played a really bad match, but generally it was because there was wind or something. It was outdoors. Here, it's indoors.

I saw him play recently, and he was playing well. Maybe a bit inconsistent, but I'm not going to have fun tomorrow. And I'm a bit tired, too.

So we play tomorrow at 2:00 in the morning, so I have time. (Laughter.)

I wouldn't say I'm confident when I play Tomas.

Q. Isn't it the first time you're playing him when he's not top 10? It's the first time he's not top 10 since years.
GILLES SIMON: Yeah, what did they say? You know, like -- well, I'll see tomorrow. I'm not sure it affects me.

Q. So what is your opinion about this race between Novak and Murray? Do you care less or do you players talk about it in the locker rooms or not really?
GILLES SIMON: No, it's interesting. It's interesting to see what will happen. But it's not going to change my life.

Murray or Novak No. 1 doesn't change anything for me. It's going to be interesting. It's going to be interesting to see Novak in a more difficult situation and see how he's gonna bounce back.

This is interesting.

Q. And how is he going to bounce back?
GILLES SIMON: I don't know. I'm a spectator like you are. Generally you're better than I am when it comes to writing what he's gonna do.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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