ROLAND GARROS

October 4, 2020

Dominic Thiem

Press Conference

D. THIEM/H. Gaston

6-4, 6-4, 5-7, 3-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How concerned were you in that match, two sets to Love? How was it affecting you mentally, as well?

DOMINIC THIEM: Well, I mean, I was concerned about the result all the match. I think the first two sets were pretty close already, and then I missed I think third set 4-All this forehand at breakpoint that could have been the match maybe, and then the momentum changed.

He was playing a great match. I mean, as I said, I haven't seen for a very long time a guy with that great hands, playing that great dropshots. I mean, I think also on pretty deep, heavy balls of mine he played great dropshots.

I had my troubles. I didn't find great answers to that dropshots. And then somehow all of a sudden it's like two sets all. I think it was a great atmosphere, even though was far away from full, the stadium. But it was a great atmosphere.

Everything could have happened in that fifth set. I guess with a little bit more experience I pulled it through.

Q. I don't know if this is true, but someone's told me that you have said you always play your best tennis after you've eaten Choco Puffs for breakfast. I wanted to know if it's true, do you play your best tennis after eating Choco Puffs for your breakfast? Does it give you an extra bit of snap, crackle, and pop on the court? Also, did you do anything at the US Open that you're trying again here at Roland Garros to make sure that you get the best chance of success?

DOMINIC THIEM: Well, I don't eat the chocolates pops here. I eat them almost every day at home, because they are like from a special organic shop at home where I love to go. Unfortunately it's only existing at home. But I really love it. At home, really, I eat it every day.

But here, more French breakfast, like croissant and pain au chocolat, so that's happening here in Paris.

Well, I didn't have a special routine at US Open. I approached it like all the other slams, because, I mean, I had good success also in the previous slams before US Open. I got the title there, but I didn't do anything different or something.

Here also I try to have a good rhythm day by day. And of course it's a little bit different in the bubble without going out for dinner or anything, but in general I'm happy with how the days go by. Working out well so far.

Q. Question is about the psychological aspect of the sport. You have been through so much in your career that you have had to kind of experience and learn about mentally, for instance, the losses at the Grand Slams plus all the pressure that you just generally face. Have you ever used a sports psychologist to help you through these issues? If not, who would you say helps you kind of deal with the sport and the reality and the mental toughness that it demands on a day-to-day basis?

DOMINIC THIEM: I haven't worked yet with a sports psychologist, even though I think that it's a good idea to do it. I think it can help a lot of players. It could also help me probably.

But didn't happen so far because I'm happy actually how I deal in all the matches mentally. Since a young kid, since a young player, I always did pretty well in close situations, in pressure situations, and also now I think it's pretty good how I do, so I'm happy with that.

But the most important thing especially in these Grand Slam matches, five-set matches is experience, I guess. If you came through a lot of these tough matches, also if you lost many of them, it's still good experiences. Probably that was today the slight difference.

Q. You said that it went very quickly from two sets to love to two sets all. Was there a moment where you have the feeling you were losing your focus and your concentration?

DOMINIC THIEM: No, I was pretty focused, like, all the time. I did this very expensive mistake at 4-All in the third set where I could have gone the break up and served for the match. I missed a forehand I shouldn't miss, and then, like, I don't know, one hour, one hour 10 later it was two sets all.

But I was happy generally with the focus. I think I stayed pretty calm even though it was a tough match mentally, physically. I just read before that he played 53 dropshots. I think only three or four of them went into the net, so I made more than 50 full sprints to the net. So that was really, really tough.

I'm pretty happy with all the performance. Even though maybe I lost a little bit of energy in the third and fourth sets, I got it back somehow in the fifth.

THE MODERATOR: You're facing Diego Schwartzman next round. Any comments on that?

DOMINIC THIEM: Yeah, I mean, I'm happy of course to face one of my best friends from the tour in the quarterfinals.

From my perspective, it's all about recovery. I mean, obviously last weeks were tough. I'm not running on a full tank anymore. That's for sure. So I try to recover as good as I can. If I'm able to do that, it's going to be an exciting match. If not, if somehow I don't make it until Tuesday, I think he's going to be the heavy favorite.

But I'm trying to do everything to have a great recovery, to have a good day off tomorrow, and then go out on Tuesday as fit as possible.