ROLAND GARROS

October 3, 2020

Karen Khachanov

Press Conference

K. KHACHANOV/C. Garin

6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Back in the fourth round again at Roland Garros. A regular occurrence for you. How does it feel to be back?

KAREN KHACHANOV: Yeah, good to keep doing the consistency here in Paris. Yeah, whenever I come here I feel good, feeling that I need to work on the points, on the matches, just trying to be positive match by match.

It feels good. It feels good to be in the second week of a slam this year. Yeah, looking forward to the next match. Will be interesting.

Q. Why would you say you like it here so much? Why are you able to play so well?

KAREN KHACHANOV: Sometimes it's tough to answer exactly why is that. But you feel like a human being more energized, let's say, energy-wise you feel it's really good. You feel the atmosphere. Even though we don't have a crowd, like full crowd this year.

Maybe the courts, the conditions also this year a little bit different but still suits me here in Paris. At the end of the day it's Grand Slam. For sure you try to put your best performance. I try to put my best performance every tournament, of course. But when it's coming to a slam, best-of-five sets, I think that's why it makes more special those kind of tournaments to play good, to win especially.

Yeah, I think I put everything together, my mind, mentality, game-wise. At the end of the day it's all about emotions and how you deal with them during every match.

Q. It's going to be Djokovic most probably in the fourth round for you. Should be your first match against him on clay. What is going to be the biggest challenge playing him on clay?

KAREN KHACHANOV: It will be our first meeting on clay, like you said. He's playing good on all surfaces (smiling). He proved it many times.

But, yeah, I'm just taking it one match at a time. Fourth round against most likely Novak, they still didn't finish. I will try to prepare as best as possible, just to try to show my best. I will fight for sure every point.

Will be interesting match, challenging match for me.

Q. Grigor Dimitrov said he is even missing the press in this particular situation. I would like to know if you miss us? What else do you miss, apart from the crowd and the situation? What is the first thing you would like to have that you don't have?

KAREN KHACHANOV: Yeah, I miss you guys so much, if you want to hear that (laughter).

Yeah, I think it's a little bit of everything. A lot of restrictions, you cannot leave hotel and site. I think we would like to have, like every person, more freedom. Of course, the conditions and circumstances are different right now.

A part of that, for sure amazing crowd. Especially in Paris, I feel that energy a lot from the crowd every year. I've got a lot of positive vibes. Yeah, a part of that, those are two things. Three things including the press (smiling).

Q. Regarding becoming a father, has it given you a little bit of new perspective with your career and tennis and life?

KAREN KHACHANOV: Are you talking about first kid or second? Which one?

Q. In general.

KAREN KHACHANOV: It was one year ago. I mean, yeah, anyway, like I said before many times, it's one of the best moments for sure in life for every person to have a kid in your hands. During those difficult times, like in terms of pandemic, I think for whole world, as well as tennis players being away from the tour, I think that was a really good time to spend together with my family, with my son, to see him growing up.

I'm kind of thankful for that opportunity to have together, to see him growing up. Sooner or later hopefully they can travel with me, he can watch me play. That's a happy moment, of course.

Q. What would you have to do if you come up against Novak again?

KAREN KHACHANOV: A lot of things. I think first of all, you know, to try to be steady, to try to maintain the level that we will play during most time possible. For sure it's not easy to take the serves here in every match because the conditions are slow. I think for sure serve, the way you go through the match, taking your serves or keep going, keep pushing to try to break the guy if something is going wrong on your serve.

You don't have to be surprised if you lose a few games even if you can serve hard or not. A lot of balls are coming back, especially in the current situation.

I think the most important thing for me to stay steady, to believe in myself, to believe in the game what I'm playing. At the end of the day to enjoy it. Yeah, looking forward to a good match and then let's see.

Q. You said before how many things you missed. I'd like to know if you're missing also the presence of Nick Kyrgios here or not?

KAREN KHACHANOV: I mean, yeah. I would love honestly that he's coming, but he has his opinion that he tries to help the society to fight against pandemic. Also it's difficult to travel from Australia. I get that. Yeah, I don't know if he will continue this year. I don't think so.

I hope to see him next year in Australia, his home.

Q. With regard to the victory in Paris in the Masters final, can you explain to me how that could potentially help you when you face Novak?

KAREN KHACHANOV: Actually for sure what happened in the past, it's already let's say in the books. But every new match is a new challenge, new opportunity. Every new tournament you try to prepare, you try to start from zero at the end of the day.

Maybe mentally you know that you beat him in this particular match, for sure it gives you the confidence inside to know that you've done it already once at least. That's the only thing that might help on a mental preparation to be ready for whatever happens.

Yeah, at the end of the day to enjoy this moment. We're in the fourth round. Match by match winning. As deeper you go as tougher opponents you face. This is what it's all about.

Q. You put out a comment on Twitter the other day. Normally you're pretty reserved and don't say much politically. What prompted you to make a comment about the Armenian situation?

KAREN KHACHANOV: Yeah, at the end of the day sometimes you want to express your thoughts, you want to express your feelings. If we talk about what's happening between Armenia and Azerbaijan, that's my roots, I always said it. Yeah, it's really sad to see what's happening during all those three years, especially right now.

People are struggling, fighting. It's war. It's the worst what can happen. So I wanted to express my thoughts and my prayers with them. That's regarding the first point.

Regarding Twitter against Nick, it was nothing personal. I just wanted nothing to say again against Andy, and I totally agree that he deserves full my respects, even more than 100%. I didn't want actually to argue. I just wanted to tell him to also show respect. Of course, he can express his opinion as well, but maybe more in a nicer way to the guys that you need to show respect.

That's how I was educated. I just wanted to give that point. But that's it. That was my purpose.