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ROLEX PARIS MASTERS

October 30, 2018

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

Paris, France

M. RAONIC/J. Tsonga

6-7, 7-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French, please.

Q. It was a tough match, only two points were missing. Maybe that can reassure you because it was a tough match. The show was quite breathtaking.
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Well, for the audience I'm sure that it was a nice match because there was a lot of cliffhangers. As far as I'm concerned, it's also a nice match because I took a lot of pleasure. I enjoyed myself with the public.

Again, I had this fighting spirit within me. This is very enjoyable. But of course, you're never happy to lose. I still came here without any big ambition. I just wanted to have a nice time and to play as well as I could. I would still have liked to win.

So there's a bit of disappointment. I'm also tired as well. But there are also good prospects for the future.

Q. Were you surprised to be at such a level in such a short time?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Well, to be honest, there are still things to improve. Even though it was a very intense match, there are still imperfections in my game that I need to improve.

I don't even remember the question actually.

Q. The question was: Were you surprised to be at such a high level?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: No. I'm not surprised, really. Last year in 2017, I had a great year despite everything. In 2018, I didn't play. My tennis game hasn't flown away out of the window. It's still here somehow.

I need to get back into the rhythm to be used again to such players, to have better skills than those that I have today, to be always ahead of the ball, and not to be responsive.

Q. You were talking about having landmarks for 2019. But since you're still here, you're ready even if there's still a long way to go, but you have a fighting spirit and there were things to do in this tournament.
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Of course if I committed to come here it's because I was here to play. As you could see today, this is what I'm used to doing. If I'm coming here, it means that I think that I can give something that is good.

But then again, the rhythm is hard to find again. And you can have that type of rhythm only if you play at tournaments.

I can't say I'm going to come back once I'm really the one I used to be before, I'll never come back. Because competition is what makes you back on track. It's like a football player. You know, if he remains sitting on the bench all the time, he will never play well. He needs to find rhythm. He needs to find footwork. He needs to have time on the court. And it's the same for me.

Q. Do you think that this is what you have been lacking during the second set because you weren't back on? And actually, there was not a lot that was missing. You were on a roll and what was missing actually in the end?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: I think I need to play more. It's a matter of choice on some balls. When you're used to making the good choices, the right choices, it's automatic. And when you haven't played for a long time you hesitate. You say, Oh, where should I actually play more? And you lose a tenth of a second that prevents you from taking the ball at the right place at the right time.

Q. Did you tell him a small joke at the end to Milos? Because it seems that you had a nice chat at the end.
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Once it's over, it's over, you know.

Q. Yes. That means you were happy despite the loss, right?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Well, I can't say that I was happy, no.

I did smile because what I told him was that he turned it to play against me in a very offensive way, and he doesn't always play that way against other players. Every time he plays against me, he plays very well. I played against him two years ago and he played wonderful. And the day after, he retired. I was very frustrated because I felt so well that day.

So I just told him this. I said, next time he plays against me he could give me a little bit of leeway.

Q. Are you finished with your season or are you going to Vendee next week? Are you thinking about 2019?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: I haven't thought about it yet.

Q. It's an idea that I'm giving you.
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Well, I had thought about it. You know, you're not inventing the wheel, you know. (Laughter.)

We did think about it. We didn't make a decision yet about what I should do, but this will also depend on the Davis Cup, decisions that will be made. I have no idea what will be decided. Once I know this, it will be more simple.

The problem is that I won't know before the end of the week. So I don't know whether I can organize myself or not. We will see.

Q. You came from far away in a way regarding the Davis Cup. Now that we see how well you played today, we can think that it is not incompatible for you to be a part of the team. What do you think about this?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: If I still have three weeks of training, I think I could be there on time. So this would be an incredible motivation for me to think that I could be on the team. And I would give everything I have to be competitive. But then again, there's still some time. I need some time.

If they decide to take me, of course I will do everything to serve the group's interest. And I will do -- I will try to play even better than I would if it were only for myself.

Q. You seem to be talking as what Leconte said in '91.
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: I wasn't born then. (Laughter.)

It's true that Henri was something else. I think he hadn't come back yet. I can't remember. He hadn't come back yet, right? He had done one tournament and he had a hernia. It's really something else. So it was wonderful what he did. It was great.

Q. Would you like to have more news in a more concrete way? I know we keep on nagging and nagging about that.
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Yes, would I like to have more news? Well, first of all, I would like to have news at one point, you know? This is it. But then, when they decide, I don't have much to say about this.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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