ROLAND GARROS

May 28, 2023

Leolia Jeanjean

Press Conference

L. JEANJEAN/K. Birrell

6-4, 6-7, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Can you speak about your thoughts on your match today.

LEOLIA JEANJEAN: I think it was a great match. You see already tough emotionally because I had a lot of opportunities to finish the match a lot quicker. But I think she played well. I think we had a good fight, so I'm just happy that I won.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. We can see a lot of relief and satisfaction. Can you tell us a little bit more about the match.

LEOLIA JEANJEAN: Well, you know, I went through a lot of ups and downs emotionally. I thought I was going to close the match at 5-4, and then a tiebreak at 6-2. I thought, all right, let's convert these match points, so that was a tough one at the end of the second set.

But, you know, I kept fighting. I kept going, and I'm happy that I was able to keep focusing and fight, and then it went my way.

Q. Can you tell us about the crowd support and the court today.

LEOLIA JEANJEAN: Well, of course, it did help. Had I played the same match in other conditions, I don't think it would have been the same ending.

Of course, that court, we can feel the vibrations of the crowd. When we get tired, of course we want to keep fighting also for them, so it really does help.

Q. Without getting into details, because we know the results, but can you tell us a little bit more about the year you've been through between these two French Opens.

LEOLIA JEANJEAN: Well, it's been a tough year. The results haven't been that good, but that's tennis. I don't really think we can always have incredible years, but I'm hanging in there.

I'll see how it goes in the future.

Q. With what you've been through last year at the French Open, do you think you've got what it takes to do as well or even better?

LEOLIA JEANJEAN: Well, I do hope so, but we'll see how it goes. I'll obviously do my best.

My level, my game level, you know, the crowd is probably going to help me, and we need a little bit of luck always, and we'll see how it goes.

Q. How do you explain these results that went up and down after last year's French Open that was quite good?

LEOLIA JEANJEAN: Well, there have been a lot of changes in my professional and private life. I didn't stay with the same people.

Then what happened after the French Open, it was really new. I started playing big tournaments with girls who play really well from the very beginning compared to ITF tournaments, you know, you need that time to adjust and adapt.

When you play people who are ranked top 100, sometimes it goes your way, and sometimes it goes theirs. You know, it was just I needed that time to adjust.

Q. That's also when you left Stade Toulousain Club. That was the time when you changed clubs. Can you tell us a little bit more about what happened at that time. What did that stop brutally?

LEOLIA JEANJEAN: Well, that's the way it is. You know, it just needed to stop.

Q. So it lasted more than three hours, that match. Was it tough at the end? And can it have an influence on the next round?

LEOLIA JEANJEAN: Well, of course it was tough for both of us. You know, when you play for three hours, it's always difficult for anybody. But I have two days to recover, and we do practice a lot for that, so that helps.

Q. Last year you were working with a structured team of people. Is it the same people now?

LEOLIA JEANJEAN: No, I'm with the Mouratoglou team.

Q. Last year you've played on Simonne-Mathieu and on Lenglen courts. To an extent was it different, that Court 14, that atmosphere? Was it the most beautiful atmosphere you've played in?

LEOLIA JEANJEAN: Well, I think it's quite similar to Simonne-Mathieu's atmosphere. We're closer to the crowd, so in terms of atmosphere, it was great. It was awesome, but Simonne-Mathieu last year was also awesome.

Q. This year the organizers have set up the technology to protect players from all the negative comments from the social media. What do you think about that technology?

LEOLIA JEANJEAN: Well, I think it's a very good thing because we receive so many messages, so many abusive messages and violent messages, so I do believe it's a very good thing to see that they're trying to implement things that can protect us.

And, of course, when we lose a match, it's something that we do not like. When we receive an insult and abusive messages, it's always unpleasant.