DUBAI DUTY FREE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 2, 2024

Ugo Humbert

Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium

Press Conference

U. HUMBERT/A. Bublik

6-4, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: All right, welcome to the press conference for the champion. We'll start with first question.

Q. Can you tell us about Dubai as the city and as the tournament, how you like it.

UGO HUMBERT: I came when I was younger, but it was the first time I played this tournament, this amazing tournament. I felt really comfortable during all the week. I think that's why I play a really good tennis this week.

Q. Looking back in the tournament, which was your toughest game overall?

UGO HUMBERT: Toughest game? Maybe the first match against Gael. I was not ready with the condition.

Q. Was it the semifinal or the final?

UGO HUMBERT: I don't know. It's two different game. But, yeah, I played two great matches from the semifinal.

Q. Tell us about the tournament overall and what's the future plan for 2024?

UGO HUMBERT: Tournament was so good. I'm super happy and proud to put my name with these legend. It's so good.

But yeah, I'm happy. Now I'm top 15. It's really exciting. Yeah, we'll go in Indian Wells and Miami for my next tournaments.

Q. I noticed in the match even at different moments, you were cheering yourself on all the time. It was like you were believing you were going to win the match. What was the dialogue with yourself? When did you feel during the match that you would win?

UGO HUMBERT: You never really secure this feeling, but you have always to be careful. I was really calm from the beginning to the end. I had a really good mindset. I stayed really positive even if I did some errors.

But, yeah, it's like this. I found a solution to win.

Q. In the recent past there were a few matches that you lost from match points, close ones.

UGO HUMBERT: It's tennis. Sometimes...

Q. But now you've become a lot more clutch in these moments. What exactly changed?

UGO HUMBERT: Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. I mean, in quarterfinal I saved two match point and I win. Sometime I have a match point and I lose. So it's like that.

I try to do my best every time. Yeah, it's never easy. It's never easy. You have to control yourself to take the win in the key moments. It's the most difficult thing in tennis, I think.

Q. You are calm, you are left-handed, and the support of the crowd, which of these three gave you the edge to win?

UGO HUMBERT: The three for sure. I had a lot of support this week. There is a lot of French guy, French fan. I felt the support. So thanks to them, yeah.

Q. What do you learn from Jeremy Chardy and what message do you have for him?

UGO HUMBERT: He wasn't there for my last two titles. But yeah, thank you so much to Jeremy. He's a really great guy and a good friend first. Now he's my coach for two years. We did really great work with all the team. I'm really excited to see him to celebrate this title.

Q. Looking at your draw, looking back, it looks like maybe you had the toughest draw. How much confidence do you have winning the tournament?

UGO HUMBERT: Yeah, for sure it gave me a lot of confidence. I played some great players. I mean, Gael, Murray. It's not easy to beat. Two top 10. Bublik. Yeah, for sure I played wonderful tennis from the first round to the final.

Yeah, I will try to bring everything on court for my next tournament.