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ROLAND GARROS

May 28, 2019

Gregoire Barrere

Paris, France

G. BARRERE/M. Ebden

6-3, 5-7, 7-5, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. Are you relieved for your first match at Roland Garros?
GREGOIRE BARRERE: Yes, very relieved. It's always difficult to play a first round in Grand Slam, especially in Roland when you're French. We have the tension. I had never won a match in a Grand Slam. I had already qualified but I had lost three or four times in the first round. So it's clear that I'm really relieved that I went through.

Q. The fact of having played a player who is not a specialist of clay, did that add a lot of pressure?
GREGOIRE BARRERE: There is no easy draw in the Grand Slam. He's not a specialist in clay. I'm not a specialist, either. So maybe it was a good first round for him, also. So indeed it gives a bit more opportunity than Nadal or Djokovic in the first round, but there is no easy match, as you saw on the field, it was complicated.

Second and third sets were very tough but I'm very satisfied in winning in four sets. It was very tough, but I didn't give in and I'm very happy.

Q. When you're 120 at 25 years old, what is your feeling? Do you still have time to go to the top 100, top 50, and see what happens? What is the hope you can have?
GREGOIRE BARRERE: I don't feel so old. Of course I'm not a young hope like a 20-year-old player, but now the careers can last until 35. So for many players, I think we have made progress on the physical preparation and recovery.

So for me I still have 10 years ahead of me, so I see step by step I would like to get into the top 100 very soon. That's the objective of the season.

I don't have any limit in terms of ranking. I try to progress physically, tennistically, mentally, and I'll see where I go.

Of course if I enter the top 100 in two weeks, in two months, it's not my objective. I just try to progress on a daily basis to put everything, what I practice, and then the ranking has to follow.

Q. What can you say about the atmosphere today for your match?
GREGOIRE BARRERE: It was a beautiful atmosphere. On this Court 14, the people are very close to us. They hear us. They support us. There was an "Ola," there is a lot of energy. So I had the occasion of playing on that court last year. I love that court. It's really fantastic. Everyone is supporting the French players.

There was Pierre-Hugues before on that court, and the atmosphere was fantastic. So for French players, it's a great pleasure to play on that court. We have everyone supporting us and it gives us extra energy.

Q. Does it give you additional pressure or is it more positive?
GREGOIRE BARRERE: It's positive. Last year it was maybe too much pressure. We are not used to winning with such an audience in a challenger. But it's my third Roland Garros in the main draw, and so I have a bit more experience and have learned from my mistakes. So I used that here to have additional energy and win in the end.

Q. To talk about last year, you were leading and then you lost. Did you have this memory of last year in your mind?
GREGOIRE BARRERE: No, I tried not to think about it, because it was not a beautiful memory. I tried to play point by point, to stay relaxed, to think about my strategy, and I didn't focus on what had happened last year.

Q. You talked about the fact that you're not a specialist in clay. What are now your objectives? First match in Grand Slam on clay, what is your objective? Where do you want to shine in the next tournament?
GREGOIRE BARRERE: I'm not a specialist, but I'm from Paris. All my relatives came. So of course I wanted to play very well in Roland. But I love Wimbledon. Last year I got qualified, so for me it's the two Grand Slams where I'd like to perform.

But then of course I have to recover well and get ready for my next match.

Q. Talking about the future, you will be playing Khachanov, and you were born in the same year. Do you know each other? How do you see this big match? Maybe bigger court than Court 14?
GREGOIRE BARRERE: I think he's younger than me, but he's a very great player. He's like 10, 11, so he's a big player. He's used to these events.

So I'll have to give everything. I have nothing to lose. I had already seen him in the futures circuit. He went through the futures and challengers very fast.

So I have nothing to lose. I will give everything, and I'll see what happens.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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