QATAR EXXONMOBIL OPEN

February 22, 2023

Felix Auger-Aliassime

Press Conference

F. AUGER-ALIASSIME/J. Kubler

4-6, 6-1, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Felix in English.

Q. How did you feel the conditions today? Because it was a little windy from the other days. What did you feel today on court?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: No, the wind was okay. I think the first day I got here was pretty windy. I think it was Sunday or Monday.

Today was all right. You know, I think it could have been worse, but it's just so different from I was playing in indoors last week, and I think in the afternoon with the sun it got a bit hot and the conditions were quite fast. The ball was flying a lot. I had to adapt to that in the first set.

I was struggling to find precision in my shots overall, especially on the return and the serve. Once I got the rhythm and I found my position on the first shots in the rally, then things got much better.

Overall, good conditions to play in. It's a great court.

Q. In Italy we have some controversy about Matteo and his picture with his new girlfriend. I would like to know if you are keeping in touch with him. How is difficult to manage your private life as a public figure in such a media era?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, I didn't see the picture. I don't know what -- I'm not on social media much during the tournaments, so, I mean, now that you tell me, I will go look probably (smiling).

But I don't know. I don't know, so I can't tell you now. But in regards to the private life, you have to be comfortable I think in our position to show what you want to show. But also, I feel like you can't show when it's going good and then when it's going bad or, you know, and then you don't want people to know about your private life.

For me, I'm very open. There is nothing to hide. My situation, my personal life is open. I think I have nothing to hide. So that's how I go about it (smiling).

Q. Maybe you will face Davidovich next round. Two tough matches against him in the past.

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yes.

Q. What do you think?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, we had some tough matches. I remember the last one on clay in Rome. I was able to win, but it was tricky. He was playing well.

At the time he was also, I think he just made finals in Monte-Carlo, so he was playing well. He's always been a tough player. We know each other for many years now, and it's never easy to play him. I've always had tough matches.

If he wins, yeah, I'll expect a tough match. I know, like today, I need to play some good tennis. At some point in the match I need to play close to my best in order to win.

Q. Before we saw you here, you were in the Rafa Nadal Academy. I want to know, what did you focus the most during that week training in Mallorca?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Well, since I have been working with Toni for a bit more than two years now, yeah, I try, when I have the opportunity, to spend practice time with him. It's not the same when you're in tournaments. You don't have as much time to practice and to talk about whether it's technique, shots you want to improve, or certain areas of your game.

But for me it was nice to spend a week there to work with him, to have some talks, and to see what I can improve, and also just to get some good practices with the facilities there that are great.

I had a bit of time to train, so I thought, you know, I can go there, it's a perfect place to train, and also I have Toni there to help me and to talk with. It was a great time.