ROLAND GARROS

May 28, 2023

Corentin Moutet

Press Conference

C. MOUTET/A. Cazaux

6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Have you got any questions?

Q. Congratulations on your match. Can you tell us a little bit more how you felt on court tonight.

CORENTIN MOUTET: Oh, just like any other match. Trying to be aggressive and trying to reproduce what we do when we practice. I was trying to play my game. Anyway, I don't have 1,000 more options when I play.

I didn't know him really well, so I was trying to discover what I had against me.

Q. Congratulations for the iceberg.

CORENTIN MOUTET: Thanks, it's nice. That's nice of you.

Q. What happened with your backhand? Using your right hand or try not to use your right hand when hitting on the backhand.

CORENTIN MOUTET: Well, it's really impossible to do it right now because it hurts some. I'm not thinking about it. I just do a one-handed backhand as if I had never played a two-handed backhand in my life. That's just what I try to do.

Q. Is it something you've practiced with your coach?

CORENTIN MOUTET: Well, I don't have any other option. When you don't have any other option, you do what you can. Being able to hit a two-handed backhand, that's the only thing I can do, so I'm trying to work on it as if I had a one-handed backhand, and the only thing I can do is hit as many forehands as possible.

Q. I think it's in the middle of the second set you tried to hit a two-handed backhand. Did it hurt?

CORENTIN MOUTET: Well, I've done that three times, and I really try not to use that right hand. Otherwise, I'm really scared that it goes bad again and that things go wrong with that hand.

Q. (Off microphone.)

CORENTIN MOUTET: I don't know, but I wouldn't be able to move it, so it would be impossible.

Q. Concerning the atmosphere, I think people supported Arthur more than they supported you. What did you feel?

CORENTIN MOUTET: Well, it was really surprising. I've seen that when I was playing abroad. I've been brave enough and I've tried to play as bravely as possible. But, you know, I use the underarm serve, and that's something that made the audience support Arthur. I've done it against Thiem, I've done it against other players.

It's not something disrespectful. It's just something that I do. I have a lot of respect for my opponents, but a lot of people don't think it's something disrespectful abroad, but in France they do.

Q. I've seen on social media that you defended Hugo Gaston a lot. What did you mean when you really tried to support him?

CORENTIN MOUTET: Well, of course, I wasn't supporting what he did, his gesture and his actions, but it's just we're all human beings, and we can make mistakes. But, unfortunately, he has that camera on him when he is on court. Everyone finger-pointed at him.

I was just supporting him because everyone was attacking him. But of course, what he did is -- I mean, it's logical that he gets a sanction, but that amount of money is crazy. I don't know where that money goes.

Even if you repeat that mistake ten times over, you never get that kind of financial sanction. It's just a ball thrown to the floor on court. Of course, it's not a good thing. What he did was bad, but he is a good guy. You know, he has made a lot of French people dream. He has inspired a lot of people.

It's not an excuse for what he did, but you know, it's something that's always difficult when you face that kind of media pressure.

Q. Do you think that for your next opponent it will be 50/50, or do you think you're going to be the outsider?

CORENTIN MOUTET: Well, you know, I'm going to be the outsider, of course, but it doesn't mean I can't win.

I always have a hard time answering how I'm going to feel and what my state of mind will be when entering the court because every player is different, and you need to adjust your game. But what's important is what you're going to produce as a player personally.

I need to focus on my concentration and how I'm going to produce that effort. I can't produce what he is going to do because he has played against a lot of very good players, he's beaten them.

I'm just going to focus on preparing that match really well and do my best when I'm on court.

Q. This is a little bit off topic. Rafael Nadal is away. It's the first day without him. Is it something that you regret in terms of the tournament's popularity?

CORENTIN MOUTET: I don't really know him. I'm not a journalist, so that's not the kind of questions that I ask myself. That's your job, I think.

But, you know, of course, he's a great player, but he's won a lot of tournaments here. It's a good thing to have a little bit more space. But, of course, we never wish for a player to be injured and to be away from the courts. But as a player, I only want to wish him the best.

Of course, he is a tennis legend, and especially here where he has won so many times. I actually had to pay dividends last year. But, of course, everyone would have liked to have him here in this tournament.