ROLAND GARROS

June 1, 2021

Alexei Popyrin

Press Conference

R. NADAL/A. Popyrin

6-3, 6-2, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. This is obviously very disappointing for you, but I'm sure you can also take some, a lot of positives away with the experience that you have had.

ALEXEI POPYRIN: Yeah, definitely. I think the emotion right now is definitely disappointment. Choked in that third set, could have taken to the fourth, should have taken it to the fourth.

We chalk this one down to experience but I don't want to chalk many matches down to experience much longer. I think I'm experienced enough to not choke at 5-3, 40-30, 5-3 advantage. You know, I'm disappointed with that.

But overall I think I played a good game. I think tactically here and there it was kind of like a game of chess where he would, you know, hit a high loopy ball to the backhand and you would need to counterattack with that one. It was basically like that the whole match.

No, I think I found a way in that third set. And, yeah, definitely disappointed about the fourth.

Q. With those set points in the third, what actually happened? Was it a case of maybe being overzealous or what?

ALEXEI POPYRIN: I think, yeah, I think the moment got to my head a little bit. You know, taking a set off Nadal, especially in French Open, is not the easiest thing to do.

You know, I had chances. You know, I hit a double fault on set point, and then missed the overhead.

Yeah, I think what went through my head was just the moment, just the moment, to be honest.

Q. What is it like to play Rafa Nadal on Court Philippe Chatrier at the French Open?

ALEXEI POPYRIN: It's an experience. I would say it's a good experience. You know, the guy is solid. What can I say (smiling)?

No, it was a good match and it was a really good experience. I think it's his court. It will always be his court. I think it's his favorite court to play on. And to nearly get a set out of him playing my first time on that court is a good achievement for me, but I'm still disappointed with it.

Q. Was it daunting walking out there with him at all?

ALEXEI POPYRIN: No, not at all. No, I have experienced a lot of big matches. I have experienced a lot of courts already. If it was my first time doing that probably it would be. No, I think I was calm in the moment.

I had a solid start. I played a few loose points again. That's all it takes, all it takes against him. In that first set played a few loose points on my serve and he took advantage of it. Once he gets ahead of you, it's tough to slow him down, and I managed to do it in the third set.

Q. If you had to take one thing away from this, what would it be?

ALEXEI POPYRIN: Don't choke (smiling). Yeah, no, don't let the moment get to you when you have set points against these top players. I won't let it happen again. Definitely won't let it happen again. I think this is a one-off for me. If I have set points on my serve I expect myself to finish the set, to win the point.

I was really, really close to winning the point, you know, missing a smash. Smashes are usually my best shots that I don't usually miss. To miss one, how I missed it is very disappointing.

Q. Will this sit with you for a little while, or will you get over it pretty quickly?

ALEXEI POPYRIN: No, I'll get over it by tonight. I'll go call my girlfriend, play some PlayStation. I'll let it get over me. It's not a big deal. It's an awesome experience.

But, you know, like I said, I don't want to chalk down too many of my matches down to experience anymore. I think I'm experienced enough. But I'll let it go. I won't be so disappointed with it. Definitely now in the moment it is disappointing, but no, I'll let it go straightaway. By tomorrow I'll be fine. I'll be ready for doubles with Thomo.

Q. What did he say to you at the net?

ALEXEI POPYRIN: Just whatever everybody says: Good game, good match, well done.

Q. It's been a pretty important first five months of the year, six months of the year for you. It's obviously a matter of building on this. What will you go ahead and do once commitments here at the French are over?

ALEXEI POPYRIN: I'm playing straight on grass. I think I'm really looking forward to grass. You know, I was even looking forward to grass during the clay court season. That's how much the clay court got to me.

But, no, I'm ready to go on grass court. I expect myself to have a big grass season. I really enjoyed my time on grass court in 2019, which was the last time I played on it.

So, yeah, I'm going to go out there, play doubles, depending on how I do, if I lose, then head over to Stuttgart, play my first grass tournament before Queen's.

Q. A great effort, mate. Bad luck in the end. Are you ultimately sort of proud of your performance, or is it disappointment really?

ALEXEI POPYRIN: No, I'm proud. You know, I expect myself to play like that against a top player. I expect to give him a tough time. I expect to take sets off them.

I think I've got the level to do that against them, and I'm definitely happy with the way I played. I wouldn't say "proud," but I'm disappointed with the result at the end.

Q. What would you say ultimately about Nadal? It's almost as if it's a personal affront to him to lose a set. That's 26 in a row he's won now.

ALEXEI POPYRIN: Well, you know, like I said, the moment got to me. He didn't do anything special at all. He got the ball back, and I missed a lot of shots. If he would have hit winners on all the set points, if he would have hit winners at 30-Love, at 15-All, then it would have been a different story but that didn't happen. I was the one making mistakes, I was the one finishing the points too early and missing sitters and hitting double faults.

That's it.

Q. He said some very nice things about your game on court and off. He thinks you're going to be one of the big stars of the game. What do you think?

ALEXEI POPYRIN: I agree. What can I say (smiling)? I've got to agree with the greatest of all time. You know, no, if he says it, then it must be true, no?

Q. Absolutely. It's something you can take confidence from when somebody like that gives you those kind of plaudits?

ALEXEI POPYRIN: Yeah, definitely. It's obviously really, really amazing to hear it from him. But I don't think it's something that me and my team didn't know already. I think we know, we knew, we know that I have the game to make it to the top. It's just a matter of consistency. Just a matter of keeping up with the hard work. Just a matter of, you know, just grinding it away and then step by step I always have the belief that I'll be able to get to the top.