ROLAND GARROS

May 24, 2022

Ugo Humbert

Press Conference

E. RUUSUVUORI/U. Humbert

6-2, 2-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Can you tell us more about your shoulder, your left shoulder. I have the impression that, I don't know, it's probably frozen now. Is that to relax?

UGO HUMBERT: I hurt myself two, three days ago. I had this pain that appeared two, three days ago. I had some exams, medical exams yesterday. I suffer from bursitis, and it was hurting on my right side. I took some inflammatories. Now I could play the match, but at the end of the match, my shoulder was hurting and my arm was hurting.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. Well, Roland Garros is not your tournament, fourth time you have played and fourth time you were out for the first round.

UGO HUMBERT: Really? I have never won a match here (smiling)?

Q. What's the reason? Is it the clay, the surface that you don't like? What's the reason?

UGO HUMBERT: Well, what should I say? Never won a match here. Yeah, well, okay. Okay, what am I going to do with this now?

When I was on the court, I knew I had never won a match here, but I really want this to happen one day.

Anyway, I played my match. I'd like to talk about what I did today. I didn't get off to a good start. I was a bit tense. I couldn't find my shots, and then afterwards, the second one was better. I had good returns. I served well, I was more aggressive. And as the match was unwinding, I was seeing I was losing ground.

He managed to get a number of good shots in, and I had to move more and run. Yet I enjoyed this moment compared with what I did before, the other years, I felt better on the court.

The feelings were better, and this is not what had happened in the past. After a couple hours I was feeling that it was really difficult for me. I was really tense. But this year was better, I enjoyed it.

Q. What about the general atmosphere? What would you say?

UGO HUMBERT: The atmosphere was very good.

Q. Were they supporting you? Was that good for you?

UGO HUMBERT: Yeah. That was good, their support. I had not seen this the past two years. With COVID it was all more complicated. I could feel the people were here supporting me, and the crowd was with me, backing me up during the tiebreak during the third set.

After that, for the important points, they were with me. That was quite pleasant.

Q. The tiebreak you played, you were serving for the set and it was pouring with rain. What happened during the tiebreak?

UGO HUMBERT: Last year I played when it was raining, so it didn't really have much impact on me. He was thinking maybe I could stop, but that's when I thought I had to put out my best tennis. I felt that. And then he made a remark to the umpire, I thought, well, keep your focus and try and finish this tiebreak.

Q. Now, what about the rest of your season? I think you said that on clay, you have no coach. Now you are going to be playing on grass. What about this? Are you looking for a coach, or will you be playing with your former coach?

UGO HUMBERT: I have not yet made my mind. I will discuss this with Nicolas and Thierry, and then I will see. I have not made any decisions.

Q. (Question off microphone.)

UGO HUMBERT: I will be playing on grass, but I don't know if I'm going to be playing with a coach or not.

Q. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is on the courts. You're a member of his academy. What does he represent for you?

UGO HUMBERT: He was my iconic player, with Roger, my preferred player. I really felt good so many times. I'm a bit sad to see him off now, but I will try and watch his match and support him. I think he's really playing well with Ruud at present on the court.

Well, what I kept on repeating, not necessarily about Jo but sometimes Gilles or Richard or Gael, I have been playing four or five years, and these guys have a lot of experience. They want to pass on their experience to the younger players.

I could never thank them enough for that. I can feel they are always open. If you need something, you can ask them, they are here to answer your questions. That's really good.

Q. Is there anything you regret? Is it the beginning of the first set because you felt pressure or the beginning of the fourth one or the pigeon during the fifth set?

UGO HUMBERT: I'd like to know what the rule is. Can we play when there is a pigeon on the court? I'd like to know more about this.

Yeah, what I regret is the beginning of the match. Broke him, and then nothing happened after that really.

But it's mainly the beginning of the fourth set. That's when I couldn't hit harder and do more so as to hammer the nail on the head. That's where I have regrets.

Q. I'd like to know about the pigeon. Is there anything you approached the umpire on because you lost your focus?

UGO HUMBERT: I think we are not allowed to play with a pigeon on the court. We'll have to check the rules, the bylaws.

I was serving, the pigeon was there, I looked at the umpire so that he would stop. I didn't dare and ask him to stop the match. I thought maybe he would say, no, the pigeon was not bothering you, but the pigeon was bothering me, close to me. I didn't understand why he didn't ask us to stop playing.