ROLAND GARROS

May 30, 2021

Henri Laaksonen

Press Conference

H. LAAKSONEN/Y. Hanfmann

6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Second time in Roland Garros in the second round; how does it feel?

HENRI LAAKSONEN: Yeah, I mean, for sure it's a great feeling. I had tough matches in the quallies already, and I think I started really well today. I played the first let's say one and a half sets really great tennis, I think, and yeah, I could win the second set, I was hitting a little bit more passive there, and third set, as well. Yeah, then I started to play more aggressive again, and I think I played really well through the whole match. Yeah, very happy.

Q. Now you have a tough opponent coming up, probably with Roberto Bautista Agut. How do you see that?

HENRI LAAKSONEN: Yeah, I think it's going to be an interesting game. I actually like his game. I love how he plays. He's a really tough competitor. He doesn't give anything for free. I think it's good to see for me how I can compete with him, and yeah, I have to do my best and try to be aggressive, and yeah, give my all that I have.

Q. Roland Garros could be a good turning point after a rocky season so far?

HENRI LAAKSONEN: Yeah, I've won four matches here now, and it's really great. I didn't come here with big expectations, and I just wanted to improve my game. I didn't play so good tennis the last couple weeks, so we have been working a lot now with my coach, and I have been improving pretty well, I think. Yeah, really happy with the results now that it shows so quickly already.

Q. I have a question concerning the circumstances; are there privileges for players that are vaccinated already, and how is your situation?

HENRI LAAKSONEN: I don't know if there is privilege. I think the tournaments are doing great work on that one. We arrived here on Thursday before the quallies, and we could practice the next day already. Yeah, every country handles it different, but I don't see a big deficit from if you are vaccinated or not.

I got my first shot just before Geneva, and yeah, I will see when I can get the second one. Yeah, that's the situation. It's difficult for everyone. I'm just happy how great the tournaments are handling everything.

Q. Switzerland you don't have to wear a mask outside, here you do. Was that something difficult for you, or like every country is kind of different?

HENRI LAAKSONEN: Well, I mean, actually at the tournaments since we started already in August, we need to wear a mask basically all the time, inside, outside. It's not really a big difference. Also when I was now in Geneva, even when I was outside I was wearing the mask.

I think I have been getting used to it, and yeah, everyone is using it now, so it's inside or outside, yeah.

Q. The vaccinations, are they big talk in the dressing room or do you talk with each other, have you got it yet, or will you get it, kind of the icebreaker to start a conversation?

HENRI LAAKSONEN: No, not really. Not really. I have been talking with my coach a little bit. He's afraid to get it. That's the only thing I have been talking about actually.