ROLEX PARIS MASTERS

November 1, 2021

Adrian Mannarino

Press Conference

A. MANNARINO/N. Basilashvili

6-2, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. You defeated Rublev in Moscow, and you just defeated Basilashvili. You seem to be gaining momentum. How did you feel on court?

ADRIAN MANNARINO: It's a period of time that suits me for three, four years now. On hard court I feel good, and I manage to notch wins over my opponent. For one month, one month and a half now, I don't have any injuries, I don't have any problems. I feel good and fit.

I'm very happy to be able to play 100%.

Q. When you sustained injury, how did you manage to recover?

ADRIAN MANNARINO: It started last year here in Paris. I ended up with a problem at the Achilles heel. Then it was hard for me on clay court season. It was hard to be back in shape.

Then during grass season, I sustained an injury at Wimbledon. I wanted to go back to the US Open to have a comeback, and it was too early. I had then a cervical problem. I had problem after problem, and in Indian Wells I felt good again. I managed to play good tennis.

It was pleasant, even though I had to go through a rough patch, mentally speaking.

Q. Can you tell us about the atmosphere in the room? We haven't seen so many people for such a long time. It must be very pleasant, especially when you're a French player.

ADRIAN MANNARINO: Yes, it was wonderful. I haven't played in front of such a great crowd for such a long time. I think that they were cheering me for 95%, I have to say. So I had huge support from the crowd.

This is why I actually had wonderful emotions, and I hope that it will continue and that we will find this atmosphere once again in the future as much and as often as possible.

Q. For the next round...

ADRIAN MANNARINO: No, no, no, I'm not talking about the next round. Thank you. No way.

Q. (Question in English, off mic.)

ADRIAN MANNARINO: Actually I'm eating the same kind of food wherever I am in the world. I'm always going for Italian food. I don't have any particular favorite restaurant in Paris.

I got a few friends of mine who are owning restaurants, I just go there just to enjoy the atmosphere. Not really crazy about the food, so it's not something so important for me.

Q. (Question in English, off mic.)

ADRIAN MANNARINO: Well, this is the city where I have been born and where I have been raised. So being home is always something different and something special. You do have to take a car and drive into the city and see how beautiful how it is. Also for me I got the chance to see my family and my friends here, something that I'm not used to when I'm traveling around the world during the year.

So, yeah, of course this is something special, to be home especially in such a beautiful city as Paris.

Q. (Question in English, off mic.)

ADRIAN MANNARINO: As I say, just being home, being back, meeting my friends is my biggest hope, just having some good times, sharing some good time with my friends, having some good food, some good drinks, and, you know, just doing the normal stuff that I'm not able to do when I'm traveling, you know.

Yeah, it's always good and very happy to be back, having a nice atmosphere on the court here and being able to play in front of my friends and family.