ROLAND GARROS

May 31, 2024

Elisabetta Cocciaretto

Press Conference

E. COCCIARETTO/L. Samsonova

7-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Elisabetta, congratulations. So far it's going super well for you. You've defeated two seeded players, and you're in the second week of a Grand Slam for the first time. Can you explain your happiness a bit right now?

ELISABETTA COCCIARETTO: I'm really, really happy about it, and of course being for the first time in the second week of a Grand Slam, it's unbelievable. But the thing is that I'm not, like, thinking that I'm on a second week but trying to keep the focus on point by point, match by match. Just enjoying it and improve myself.

But of course it's unbelievable (smiling).

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Congratulations. Your three top-20 wins in your career have all come here in Paris. Why do you think you've been able to play this great level here?

ELISABETTA COCCIARETTO: I don't know. Maybe because I love the courts here. It remind me a lot the courts where I was born. So I think for this, and also I have very good memories of when I was a kid watching on TV all the players that playing Roland Garros, Italian players, for example, but I think I love the courts, for sure.

I don't know. It's a period of the year, I think, because I play, like, four months and I get experience. I play with a lot of players, so I come here with more confidence.

Q. You mentioned the other Italian players. Do you take inspiration when you're here from Francesca, former champion; Sara, former finalist; all the great Italians? Even Martina Trevisan has done well, also.

ELISABETTA COCCIARETTO: Yes, for sure. Like Italians, we were born in clay. It's different for the other girls, other players, like, from China, USA, who were born on hard.

I think, for us, it's not comfort zone but our surface. But for sure watching them on TV, of course I am playing doubles with Martina, I know she did quarterfinal, semifinal, so it keeps me the confidence that I can do also like them.

I mean, but everyone has his journey, so I will enjoying mine and keep improving.

Q. Your next opponent is Coco Gauff who you've faced before. How excited are you for that match and what do you think you'll need to do better in order to have a chance to defeat her?

ELISABETTA COCCIARETTO: I think that I played against her in Dubai, so I try to not doing the same errors, like, in that match. But for sure will be a very, very tough match. Of course she's one of the best players in the world.

So I think that I will enjoy the match but trying to be aggressive, trying to do my game, and just fight every point. That's it (smiling).