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ROLAND GARROS

May 28, 2019

Caroline Garcia

Paris, France

C. GARCIA/M. Barthel

6-2, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. You said at the end of the match that you were a bit tense, apart from the last backhand. You are straight from the finals of Strasbourg. Is this just like any other first round of a Grand Slam?
CAROLINE GARCIA: Yes, it had nothing to do with Strasbourg. Obviously I had to adapt very quickly. Only two days between the two tournaments, but, well, you're traveling and recovering. You're right into it.

Sometimes it's not a bad thing not to have too much of a break, but obviously you always have some tension, you're playing in Roland Garros, starting a Grand Slam tournament.

I hadn't played on Suzanne Lenglen before today, so I just warmed up. My shots were a bit too short, not as long as I wanted. But in my mind, things were okay. I knew what I wanted to do. Then the implementation was not necessarily perfect, but it was a first round. Important thing is to get through.

Q. You have won quite a few matches in Strasbourg. Does it feel good? Because it was the first time this season that you had so many victories in a row.
CAROLINE GARCIA: Yes, Strasbourg was very positive. I missed the title by very little, but it was very positive. The beginning of the tournament was rather complex. The first day I finished a match and I played another one right away. I was down one set, then I managed to get back into it. So there was a lot of positive points both in terms of management of the week and what I was able to play, one match after the other. But physically I held up.

So obviously when I had the two matches, the next day I was tired. But my training was good.

Q. Roland Garros compared to last year when there was a lot of expectations, yours and expectations from the outside world, do you feel more relaxed this year, or is it the same?
CAROLINE GARCIA: I believe that the expectations from the outside world are still the same. Even though I'm a bit down in the ranking, it's still the same.

I see the report I get and I try to make the most of it. Now I also try to learn from the management mistakes I made last year.

But it's not always easy sometimes to manage everything. You don't necessarily know how you're going to react. When you make mistakes you try to draw the lessons from them. This is what we have been trying to do since the beginning of the year. Things are improving.

Q. You like to have a good routine. You like things to be well in place. Roland Garros has changed a bit. Do you like it?
CAROLINE GARCIA: Well, I haven't had time to see much, but it's true that I like when things are routine. This morning I took the tunnel to go to Lenglen and back. For us, as players, it's much more comfortable.

Then I saw from afar the court with the greenhouses, which looks good, but I haven't had time. I haven't seen Philippe Chatrier yet. For my next match I will try to go there and play there, but I haven't had time. I have had very short days.

Q. Talking about this court, today you played on Suzanne Lenglen. You play on that court quite often. Are you asked for your opinion or not at all?
CAROLINE GARCIA: No, it's not a choice not to play on Philippe Chatrier. My preference was to start today on the Lenglen, but I'm open. I can play the other matches on Philippe Chatrier. It doesn't matter.

But it's true that the Philippe Chatrier has changed. It looks nicer, and also, I guess it's better for the spectators because it's more rounded.

Q. You have to discover these courts. Maybe you'd have to train on them because they're different?
CAROLINE GARCIA: Yes, but I don't want to come at 8:00. When I came from Strasbourg, I had to go and play at 8:00 if I wanted to train on the Lenglen or Chatrier, and it wasn't the priority.

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