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ROLEX PARIS MASTERS

October 31, 2018

Richard Gasquet

Paris, France

J. SOCK/R. Gasquet

6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French, please.

Q. I presume that disappointment must be very significant because you thought that you would win, but we didn't find the same rhythm in the same game.
RICHARD GASQUET: I didn't manage to get the upper hand in the match. I didn't manage to have the game that I wanted to have.

Practice wasn't so good either yesterday. Nothing serious, but I didn't manage to push as much as I should have. I didn't play well.

Q. We saw you making a face sometime during the match.
RICHARD GASQUET: Well, yes, I didn't push that much during the match. I didn't push. I should do better.

There's also a final coming up. I'm not sure that I will play, but I want to be in good shape in the days to come. I didn't manage to push as much as I should. I should have done more. I didn't manage to play the way I should have. Nothing alarming, but I will have other Rolex Paris Masters in the future, but there might be only one final.

The thigh is hurting. It's nothing else. But there's a lot of motivation for the rest. But I didn't do the match that I would have liked to. There's a lot of disappointment on that point. But I'm still very confident for the follow-up.

Q. That means that in terms of priority the Davis Cup may be more important for you than today's match?
RICHARD GASQUET: I did what I could. I did as much as I could. Of course there's a lot of disappointment. But there's something coming up and something beautiful, and I will be there 100% for that. And this is very important for me.

Q. When you say that you're going to be 100% there, that means that five sets on clay, you think you're going to be ready?
RICHARD GASQUET: Yes. It's in a few weeks and I will be ready. I just need two, three days of rest. I've had quite a few matches under my belt. So I think in three weeks and a half I can be there 100%, especially on clay.

Q. The French players' results are not excellent during this tournament. There's only Gilles Simon left. It's not your first final of the Davis Cup. Is it a bad omen to see all the French players all out already?
RICHARD GASQUET: It is an awful season for most of the French players, but we are certainly capable of winning against the Croatians, even if they're great players. With the experience we have, I'm quite sure and adamant that we can win, even if the season was not good for all of us.

When I see the players for the doubles, for instance, I'm quite confident that we can win, especially at home and with the practice session that will be hard. I have no doubt that we will win.

Q. As a follow-up question in regards to doubts, do you still have doubts that you will go to Lille? Because Mannarino said that he was going far away. So do you think you're going to be there?
RICHARD GASQUET: Well, he lives, Mannarino lives in Miami; so of course it's further away. But I'm not far away. Last year it was the same thing. We had been called on the Saturday of the semifinals, you know.

I have no problems whatsoever with this. It's not a problem. I did everything I could to get there. And I know that I will be fit and in great shape for the practice.

We've won the last five matches for the Davis Cup. Even though we haven't had outstanding results for the rest of the season, we did good, you know.

Q. Do you think that the practice session will be very hard? Is that what you expect? Is it because of the clay? I heard that it would be a ten-day practice session.
RICHARD GASQUET: Yes, that was the same thing last year. And we have to discuss, we have to work hard, because the Croatian players are very strong and they've played well this season. We have to work hard all together to be ready for the final. This is what we did last year. We have the experience.

So I'm sure that it will be a tough practice session, but it's also the final of the Davis Cup. We have to be strong and ready.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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