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ROLAND GARROS

June 10, 2018

Dominic Thiem

Paris, France

R. NADAL/D. Thiem

6-4, 6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Commiserations on today's defeat, although I know you battled hard. Can you just tell us, what was it like watching Rafa on television as a young boy and then 11 years later playing him on Chatrier on center court? This might be an unfair question, but which did you enjoy most: Watching him on the television or playing on Chatrier on center court today?
DOMINIC THIEM: Physically I enjoyed more watching him (smiling) on the couch.

But when he won here the first time, actually when he won here the first four or five times, I was always watching it. Of course it's really a great thing that I made my way and that I was competing in a final against him. It's a really great thing, honestly, but still I'm disappointed, of course. It was a final. I really wanted to win.

I gave everything I had, and I'm the loser of today. So at the end, it's not the best day.

Q. It was your first one and you put up a great effort. Does that performance today make you confident of the future and being in more Grand Slam finals?
DOMINIC THIEM: I think it was the first time against him here in Roland Garros where it was a fight. It was a decent match from my side. He was playing very well, I think, and there is a reason why he won 11 times here. It's definitely one of the best things somebody ever achieved in sport.

For sure, me, I'm confident that this was not my last Grand Slam finals, and that's my biggest goal, to get into the next one and then to do it better than today.

Q. The first set was very tight, but you had a very bad game at 5-4. Would you say it was the moment that you feel the most pressure of playing your first Grand Slam final? Would you say it was a turning game of the match?
DOMINIC THIEM: It was a bad game, but I did the right plays always, and I just missed some close balls. And in general, it was a -- game-wise it was a good game. It was just terrible misses. And it was, for sure, not the turning point.

I was really fighting and playing from the first to the last moment. And of course it was not nice to lose the first set, but still it was not a key point of today.

Q. Were you surprised that it took until the seventh game of the second set for the umpire to warn Rafa about how much time he was taking between points? Did you say anything at any point to the umpire?
DOMINIC THIEM: I didn't say something to him, because I don't ever have a watch, so I don't know how many seconds anyone is taking.

Q. Can you talk us through the emotions you felt at the start of your first Grand Slam final? And also what lessons do you think you'll learn from this going forward into any future finals?
DOMINIC THIEM: Of course it was a special thing for me to play the first slam finals. But on the other hand, I was pretty calm and I knew that I go into it like it would be any other match. I think this was the right approach because if I let too much happen, my emotions, everything, because it's the first Grand Slam final, it wouldn't suit my game very well, and that's why I went into it like every other match.

Q. And the lessons you learned going forward?
DOMINIC THIEM: Yeah, I mean, it's a big goal for me to play soon another slam finals. Of course it's going to be easier, then, a little bit, because it's not going to be the first time anymore.

Then hopefully I can do it better than today.

Q. You beat him before in best of three, but what do you think the keys are to beating him in best of five?
DOMINIC THIEM: I think it's not really the best of five. It's just the conditions here. It's suiting him perfect. It's similar to Monte-Carlo where he's also playing amazing.

I think best of three or best of five, all the top players are on a really good level physically, so it's not that big difference.

Q. You spoke about Rafa's greatness. You spoke about how what he's done is just exceptional in sports. Could you try and put into words just what the essence of Nadal's greatness is? What is his genius?
DOMINIC THIEM: I think there are many things. It's too much to say one or two. But if you win a Grand Slam tournament 11 times, one single one, then this is just very exceptional and amazing. You need to have, I think, many extraordinary skills and talents and work ethics to achieve that.

Q. You just said this surface suits to Rafa's play style more than Madrid. Could you explain a little bit more how different it is playing Rafa in Roland Garros?
DOMINIC THIEM: Well, I think it's the altitude in Madrid is a little different, for sure. And then here the court is very big. We can return very far behind the baseline. That's an advantage to him. Also to me, of course, against all the other players (smiling).

I think the balls, we like them. I think we both love the conditions, and he maybe a little bit more.

Q. Congratulations on getting this deep. Were you surprised at Rafa's emotion when he held the trophy and we saw some tears?
DOMINIC THIEM: I was not surprised. I cannot tell how it feels to win 11 times here. I think nobody of us can. So he's the one who has to explain you.

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