ROLEX MONTE-CARLO MASTERS

April 10, 2023

Benjamin Bonzi

Press Conference

B. BONZI/B. Zapata Miralles

6-1, 7-5

(In French.)

THE MODERATOR: How did you turn that around in the second set?

BENJAMIN BONZI: I played exactly like I played in the beginning. I started playing from further behind and stepping back, so it was more difficult for me. He tried hard to come back, so I needed to get closer to the baseline and do what I knew how to do well. This is how I turned it over, but it was an alert.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. For all those who sometimes are up a set and 5-Love in the second and end up losing the match, did you think about it?

BENJAMIN BONZI: Well, even if he was coming back up to 5-All, I knew I still was two games away from victory. It wasn't further from the victory than at 5-3. Of course I would have liked to have played a winner at Love-40, and I would have preferred to do it more quickly, but you always have to be ready to start again.

This is what happened today. I think in tennis sometimes things can turn around so rapidly you don't need to be afraid.

Q. You were forced not to play because of the injury. Is it better for you? Are you more fresh now?

BENJAMIN BONZI: Physically I feel good. I have no pain. This is the first match where really I was able to move so well, so it's a very good thing.

Of course I would have preferred to be in Indian Wells and Miami. Could have been able to go there with a lot of confidence and good results, but there was the injury. I had to stop, and it's a break in the season of course that was a bit long.

We will see if at the end of the year if it will be beneficial, if I will maybe be fresher than other players, but missing two Masters 1000 is not what is good for me, but anyway, now I feel good. I need to improve my rhythm, my confidence still, but things are going the right way.

Q. This is your best victory on clay in terms of ranking. What is your relationship with clay right now?

BENJAMIN BONZI: I'm just a natural on clay (smiling).

No, honestly I'm learning and I'm getting better and better. This match was a very good one. I was able to put in place certain tactics that were good for me. I felt good on the court, which is not always the case on clay for me. So things are going well, and I have to keep it going.

Q. Your two battles against Tsitsipas were on grass, but will that help you on clay playing him?

BENJAMIN BONZI: It's going to be different, of course, but I can draw some information from those matches. I know how he hits the ball, how he serves, how he tosses the ball.

But of course the tactics will be totally different. He won twice here, he plays well here, but for him it's going to be a first match on clay. It's not going to be easy. And just playing him twice already even on grass is always something I can use and I learned something from it.

Q. You don't feel as much at ease on clay than on hard courts. What's the difference?

BENJAMIN BONZI: The difference is that on hard courts I don't need to go further behind the baseline like I have to on clay. I think for me clay makes me think too much about the seven-hour matches, with the long battle, but now it's better.

I'm sometimes a bit afraid of the bounce of the ball on clay, whereas on hard courts I don't have that fear. So I need to find the right balance, and I should not step back too much, not go forward too much either. The surfaces are totally different.

This is the major difference for me. On clay I have to step back.