ROLAND GARROS

May 31, 2023

Elise Mertens

Press Conference

E. MERTENS/C. Osorio

6-3, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: We're going to start in French, please.

Q. It wasn't an easy match.

ELISE MERTENS: Well, she's a tough player because she gets everything back into the court, but I'm happy that I won in two sets. I think that the tiebreaker was -- I think I was up 4-3, but I served well. I'm happy that I could find the winners to win.

But it was a tough match. I played better than during my first round. It was already better.

Q. Even if it was tough, you've beaten that clay court specialist, Osorio, so it gives you a lot of confidence?

ELISE MERTENS: Yes, of course, she's a very good player. I think she did a great match today, and she's had quite a few good results in Madrid and Rome, but I think I played better than during my first match.

During the second set, the momentum switched a little bit, and I managed to attack her second serve. I didn't manage to do it all the time, but I did it more often.

Q. Was a serve better or, rather, the missing serve better? How can you explain that?

ELISE MERTENS: I think I served better than before. The first and the second serves were better. I didn't do a lot of double faults, as in my first round.

But the clay is a bit slow, so it's always difficult to turn it into an advantage, but it was the same thing for both of us.

Her second serve was not really quick, so I could attack it. I've done it several times. Maybe I could have done it more often, but that's the way things went.

Q. When you take a look at your season, do you think there's still this big win missing in order for you to get back on track?

ELISE MERTENS: I did the third, fourth round and also reached the semis in Monterrey, but I need to win against these top players in order to get to the quarterfinals or even more. I went to the fourth round last year. I want to do the same thing, so I need to win against these top-10 players.

Q. (Off microphone.)

ELISE MERTENS: I think I play a solid game. Maybe I can do better at getting at the net and volleying, and I need to play a little bit more freely.

Q. When you are talking about beating the top-10 players, because on Friday that's something you are going to have to do because you're going to play against Pegula, the World No. 3. How can you beat her?

ELISE MERTENS: Well, she's a very solid player. She gets all the balls into play. She doesn't make any unforced errors.

Just like today, maybe I can do a little bit more. I can attack the ball and get into the court and do something myself, create something myself at the beginning of the match, in two or three sets. It's something that I can do on a regular basis in order for me to win against these players.

Q. So how do you feel in this Grand Slam on this clay? What's your take? What are your thoughts about the slam?

ELISE MERTENS: Well, you know, it's Roland Garros. It's the French Open, so it's an event you only get once a year, so I'm trying to do well and perform well at Grand Slams.

Last year I did make it to the fourth round, and I want to stay in the top 30, so I need to have the same results or even more. But, no pressure.

And I'm really happy that there were many fans with me today, and it really made a difference during the tiebreaker because they gave us a lot of energy. They gave me a lot of energy.

I've won in straight sets, and I'm happy because I still have a lot of energy in the tank.