ROLEX MONTE-CARLO MASTERS

April 13, 2022

David Goffin

Press Conference

D. GOFFIN/D. Evans

7-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. It's an impressive series of matches. Is it because of the clay? Is it something else? Can you explain?

DAVID GOFFIN: It's a bit of everything. Since the beginning of this year, I really wanted to do well. My knees were a lot better, so little by little I was able to find my rhythm and confidence also.

Little by little, I found the right mindset, and I was able to play those matches. I just had a little scare with my knee after Australia, but there is also a match I should have won in Indian Wells first round. But it started being a lot better in the challenger of Phoenix.

I got better and better, and now that we are on clay, it boosted my confidence. The fact of having two or three difficult victories against Andujar, Baena, Coria, all these clay courters in Marrakech made me very confident.

Now I feel good. My timing is a lot better. The general approach during the past weeks was a lot better too. So I was convinced it would go well.

Q. We can see that some players are not ready to play on clay yet. You played a lot on that surface. Do you believe you can do well here?

DAVID GOFFIN: Well, I feel good and I enjoy every match. Lately I haven't felt so good, so I really enjoy each victory.

It might seem easy as if I had never difficult periods or anything, which is not the case. I am very happy I have my revenge against Evans. I won in two sets, so I really enjoy it.

It's not because I'm confident and I play well that I should get carried away. I have to really be realistic and continue doing what I do well. I think the next one will be Davidovich. He plays very well on clay. He played well in the French Open last year. He likes the conditions here in Europe.

Every match will be difficult. Match after match, I will try to keep going in the right direction.

Q. The level you had in 2017 was incredible. Do you think there are things you didn't do well during the past five years? Of course you had physical problems, but the incredible level you had was maybe difficult to maintain?

DAVID GOFFIN: Well, you said a bit of everything. It's very difficult to continue after such a season. I was top 7 and I had to go immediately to Australia, and I was not prepared.

After, I had this problem with the ball in my eye, which was more serious than people might think. It has an impact on my sight, on my confidence. It took a long time to get better.

And after, there were good things that happened. In 2019 I become top 12. I always try to be in a good shape all the time, but it's very difficult. The level is so high right now that you cannot stop working. You have to work a lot all the time. The hard work I did lately allowed me to be where I am today, and I'm quite proud.

Q. There is a new era in tennis. Younger players are coming up. What do you think about all that?

DAVID GOFFIN: Well, younger players or not as young. Alcaraz is incredible. There is a bit of everything. The generation after me, 25, 26 years old, Rublev, Berrettini, Daniil are now in the top 10 solidly, and then there is the younger generation with Sinner, Alcaraz, that are not far from top 10.

All this is very exciting. And the big three are still there. When everything goes well, they can still have big wins. You saw Rafa in the beginning of the year. Novak is the same. It's a bit special right now, but when he will feel good he can win many matches, and so it's very exciting to see what will happen between the best players of all time and the younger ones, and I'm in the middle of all that trying to find my position.

Q. Do you believe you can show them what you can do still?

DAVID GOFFIN: Yes, I think I can really bother them. If I'm well physically, if I'm fresh and confident with a bit of luck also and being audacious, I can do good things.

But all matches are difficult. I'm sure I can do well, like today against Evans, it was a difficult match. He's an experienced player and everything went well for me today. I hope I can do the same in the next weeks.

Q. The top three won everything, but we think sometimes that once they will retire what will happen? Everybody is wondering. Are you worried about the future of world tennis?

DAVID GOFFIN: Well, of course when Federer, Nadal will stop, it's going to hurt. We are lucky to have known that generation. I was able to play against them, and I can even say I beat them at least once, all of them. It was incredible.

But I'm not worried, because it's going to be very exciting. We will have new winners of Grand Slams, new players will be at the top once Rafa and Djoko will be gone, and younger players will rise very quickly, like Alcaraz. Maybe Sinner will also do well.

There will be plenty of new things happening. When Sampras and Agassi stopped, everybody was saying it's going to be a catastrophe, and you saw what happened. We had the best generation of all time with Federer and Nadal. So I think it's very exciting.