ROLAND GARROS

September 28, 2020

Felix Auger-Aliassime

Press Conference

Y. NISHIOKA/F. Auger-Aliassime

7-5, 6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. When you look at the match today, you had a lot of breakpoint chances. What was he giving you on those breakpoints that just made it hard for you to convert on those opportunities?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, I mean, today was tough for me overall, what he was bringing in the match.

Yeah, you know, I knew him, knew it was going to be tough to go through him, going to put a lot of balls back. Obviously the conditions were not the best for me.

I don't know. He played good. Also, you know, I wasn't good, and I could have been better on many of those opportunities. So, you know, I give him credit and I take responsibility on that because I just felt like there is too many times where I just didn't step up and played a decent point.

Q. What can you take for this match going into the end of the season? What can you learn from this unfortunate loss?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Well, I'll see. I mean, I'm going to rest now, take some time and go back to training, see what I can learn and improve from these last few matches.

But for sure it's difficult to accept. Try to look forward to now the last couple tournaments of the season.

Q. Did you make any adjustments for the conditions here, both mentally and sort of physically, technically? Lighter stringing, different approaches to the match mentally?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: No, the strings felt fine. I felt like, you know, I was able to control the ball well. I felt like with the power I had I didn't want strings looser than that.

So the issue wasn't there really. The issue wasn't technically. The issue could have been mentally, tactically, for sure.

But, you know, it's tough. You always see what you could do better, but when you're in the moment you try your best. You try to win, but sometimes it's not enough, you're not good enough on the day.

So now it's past me and I've got to accept that. It's not easy. It's tough. But, yeah, for sure I felt like today I was just not playing good enough.

Q. Can you explain the technical and strategic challenges of this and whether or not it made you uncomfortable? Specifically, what was your approach?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Well, obviously, you've got to be more patient and build up the point a little more. You know, he's a good mover around the court, putting a lot of balls back.

Obviously with the cold and with the balls, you know, the effect of my ball, my power wasn't going through as much as usual. So, you know, that was a difficulty for me. I tried to mix it up, tried to maybe come in a few times. I got passed. That was not easy. And I felt like overall I didn't serve well also. That was a big difficulty because I'm usually a player that will earn points on my serve or create opportunities on my serve. Today I was just not able to serve at a good level. So that was a big difficulty.

But, yeah, I mean, I tried to adjust, tried to believe, but it wasn't enough, I guess.

I will produce.