	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

ROLAND GARROS

May 28, 2018

Pauline Parmentier

Paris, France

P. PARMENTIER/C. Paquet

3-6, 7-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. Amongst the reasons explaining your victory, do you think the fact that you have more experience helped you when you had to pick up after stopping the match?
PAULINE PARMENTIER: I don't know if it was the experience that came into play. It was difficult for both of us. I believe that the difference was that I was feeling better physically than she was. I was fresher. And that made the difference.

But I must say I was very tense to play in two goes. And despite the experience, there is always some stress that goes with it.

Q. How do you manage in the interruption between the two days so that you don't lose too much impetus?
PAULINE PARMENTIER: Well, we didn't have much time to exit the match. I got back rather late, time to have dinner, some care, and this morning I had to get up to get back into the match. So you don't exit the concentration of the match, but it's the first time I go through this. It's very weird to go to sleep without knowing whether you've lost or won.

But I must say that I prefer my position than hers. It took me a long time to get to sleep last night. I was playing the match in my head, and I woke up saying, Okay, let's go. Let's know who's going to win. Let's get it over.

Q. We know that in the first round of Roland Garros it's always very complex. We saw you. You did many faults in the beginning, in the first set. What happened?
PAULINE PARMENTIER: Yes, it was the nerves. I was very tense after the draw. I practice a lot with Chloe, we're friends, and it was not easy. Difference in ranking. The fact that I mustn't lose, quote unquote. So for the past two months I have played with rather light head and no expectations.

With this match, I suddenly had to stress, to be afraid of the match, where recently I had only one desire, which was to play.

So it was rather weird to get back to my defects, getting nervous. So I was afraid to lose two sets and not win the match, so I had to get back point after point. Otherwise I wouldn't have reversed the match. I wouldn't have done it before.

Q. Coming back to this interruption, I know it's always difficult to manage. What was your position? Do you think it would have been better to stop at the beginning of the third set, even though in the final analysis it was better for you because she had cramps and you were able to warm up a little bit? Don't you think it would have been better to interrupt before the beginning of the third set?
PAULINE PARMENTIER: It's always very weird. I really thought we were going to interrupt at one set all, and then they said, No, there's still 20 minutes to play.

I said, The light is down. Come on, guys. 20 more minutes. I know that we have to play the longest day possible in the day.

But, well, it's true that we could play 15 more minutes, but stopping or interrupting in the middle of a set was rather special, but I'm not going to complain because it turned in my favor.

Q. We know that over the past few months, especially when you won in Bucharest, you said it was important for you to enjoy playing. I don't know if you were playing with less pressure, but you had less pressure. The fact you have gone beyond the first round, do you think you're going to renew with this mindset?
PAULINE PARMENTIER: Yes, it's true that over the past two months I had nothing to lose when I was playing with my opponents. Today it was a bit different, and obviously I'm going to be more relaxed in the coming days. I have everything to win. I'm going to play again against a French player. It's a special match.

But I put the accent on that. I'm going to, well, to keep that mindset.

Q. Specific collaboration with Yannick, or...
PAULINE PARMENTIER: No, I sent him a message three weeks ago. I said, Will you be around for Roland Garros? And he said, I'll be around for five, six days. So if you need me, tell me. I said, It's my dream. So he was here.

He landed on Friday morning. He came to the practice in the afternoon. There's no specific cooperation, really. But I know he's 100% behind us, but he doesn't like to come to the stadium much. He's behind us in the match, nevertheless.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297