ROLAND GARROS

October 1, 2020

Daniel Altmaier

Press Conference

D. ALTMAIER/J. STRUFF

6-3, 7-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Describe for me the emotions and feelings of making it into the third round at a Grand Slam tournament.

DANIEL ALTMAIER: Personally I'm very happy because I was able to perform pretty well from the first point on. Today I knew it's going to be a very mental battle because it's going to depends who is going to take the intensity first.

So I was quite high, let's say, emotionally, also my intensity was high, so this was really like emotionally I was able to block everything away and really focus on performing and get that intensity all the time going. So that was the main thing today. My luck was three sets, so was very good.

Q. I don't know, how well do you know each other?

DANIEL ALTMAIER: I mean, we know each other for a long time. I was starting already on tour, was kind of like hitting partner for those guys when I was 14, 15, so they also know me and know a little bit my progress. And, yeah, I mean I would say we are friends because last year he invited me to come play, we were practicing also, I know him well so we have off court a very good chemic and yes, he's a very great guy.

Q. In terms of this whole run here through qualifying and now two main draw victories for the first time for you, what do you think has been the most important ingredient for you to have this success?

DANIEL ALTMAIER: I think that I played in the past weeks a lot of matches, that was the most important coming here to Roland Garros. I had really tough matches already there, beating Musetti, for example, losing to him the week before, or let's say, you know, my generation, the young guys, we had very big battles already on the Challenger Tour and that made me kind of already prepared for the matches here because we see, you know, when, for example, Carlos or even Lorenzo is going on the ATP Tour they are beating guys.

And so we are ready on the Challenger Tour, push each other I think to reach very good level already on the, I would say a little bit lower stage. But that was really important because I think there I really learned how to get into those matches and, yeah, perform good.

Q. Struff had played five sets in his first round match. Did it seem to you as though there might have been any affect of that on him today?

DANIEL ALTMAIER: I'm totally was not thinking about this, to be honest, because I think his feeling, I cannot control how his body is or the way he is emotionally, how he was getting ready for my match today.

It's just the main focus was on me and it's his job to be ready for the second round. And for sure he was feeling the five sets also emotionally, also being down already almost two sets down, because I saw he was break down already in the second. So it's always you play on the limits, but I think with the two days, I mean we had two days of rest, normally you recover really good.

Q. I wanted to know about your background because I see that you have a Spanish coach, I guess, and --

DANIEL ALTMAIER: Argentinian.

Q. Sorry. And, yeah, I think that you're getting very quick to the clay so I wanted to know more about that.

DANIEL ALTMAIER: I started with my coach, my coach is Francisco Yunis, Argentinian guy from Buenos Aires. We started last year in August when I was roughly 480 in the world after my injuries.

And, yes, I mean, I grew up in Germany playing on clay, so this was, yeah, I feel comfortable on it and with Fran having in my corner right now, he's stabilizing my game a lot, especially on clay. And, yeah, that's pretty much it. The school over there, tennis school, you know, like the way they are practicing is fitting really good to have a stable game for clay.

Q. You have maybe to play Berrettini next round if Berrettini wins. I would like to know, since you told us that you beat Musetti --

DANIEL ALTMAIER: Are you Italian?

Q. Yes.

DANIEL ALTMAIER: Okay. Because, no, I just wanted to know. Okay, good, good, perfect.

Q. Yes, I am Italian. Tell me again, you played Musetti twice, I think, you said.

DANIEL ALTMAIER: Yes.

Q. And what do you think of him and what do you expect if you have to play Berrettini. And since, third question, I've never seen you playing, to be honest, what are your best strokes? I mean you play better with, is it the serve, the forehand, the backhand, whatever?

DANIEL ALTMAIER: So getting to your first question how I think Musetti is, I think we had two really good battles in the Challenger Tour, even though I lost the first one pretty clear, it was not an easy match I think for him. I was just struggling a little bit mentally and with myself, but then in Cordenons I was really ready physically, mentally, for good match and was able to perform and beat him at the end. I think this guy has really good potential, a great rally, like he can do a lot of things with his game and, yeah, definitely a player to look up to.

I think to say about Berrettini, I know him because of before my long injury we were playing both on the kind of same level being around 300, playing the futures, and we know each other really good.

Yeah, it's going to be really interesting, obviously the ranking is much more higher than me, but I have nothing, I think, to lose, I will get the same prepared like I was getting ready for my qualie matches even and then we're going to see what is going to happen at the end.

Then, about my game, I think you should watch a little bit of highlights and then it's going to be very clear what are my best strokes and stuff. But I think I have a good mix of aggressive game. I like a lot to create the game, to be the creator on court and really do what I want to do on court. If a guy respond really well, I have to adapt and be ready for that every match. And, yeah, I would suggest you to watch a little bit and we will have some talks later or in the future for sure.

Q. Just wanted to know if you are a volley player or not.

DANIEL ALTMAIER: No, I'm a machine (laughing.)