ROLAND GARROS

May 30, 2024

Richard Gasquet

Press Conference

J. SINNER/R. Gasquet

6-4, 6-2, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. Richard, how are you feeling about the match? Are you happy because it was a good game or are you frustrated about the outcome?

RICHARD GASQUET: Yes, no, it was a great emotion. There were a lot of people. It's great playing in the evening. There were a lot of people. And it's the first time that I have been on the court in the evening. It's very pleasant to play there.

But the game was very fast on both sides. The balls were quite heavy in the evening. It's less easy than in the day to spin the ball. It's quite complicated. I didn't serve very well, but of course he was better.

Q. Are you reassured about your level? Does it make you want to carry on?

RICHARD GASQUET: Yes. I haven't won a Grand Slam match in quite a long time, and in Australia, too, so it's good to be able to win this match and to play on the central court, on Chatrier. He is No. 2 in the world, so it is great. I hope that I can carry on playing a little bit longer at this level.

But it's true that, yeah, there are quite a few good things in this Roland Garros, but you always want to take a set, have a better service, do better from time to time, but generally speaking, he's just a better player.

Q. Does this good Roland Garros make you want to come back next year?

RICHARD GASQUET: I have no answer to that really. It's month by month. It's very hard to say or to know when you have to stop, so I don't really know.

I'm just going to try and see, to try and climb up the ranking, in the first 100 at least, and I don't know if it will be this year or next year. I have no idea.

But of course more time goes by, and the closer it gets. But, you know, I can't answer. It's good to win a match here. It's good for what's to come next. But then you don't know how you're going to play, whether you might be injured. Everything is possible. So I'm going to try to carry on playing, though.

Q. So it's like Rafa or you don't know?

RICHARD GASQUET: No, you never know, you never know. But even Murray, you don't know, you never know. It's crazy.

The careers are quite hazy. You never know when it's going to happen. But I don't think it will be too long.

Q. So there is a big chance that he becomes No. 1 in the world, very strong probability. He's a great ambassador. What was it like playing with his ball?

RICHARD GASQUET: No, he plays very fast. It's rare. Apart from Djokovic, he hits a hard backhand, a hard forehand. He has a good serve as well. So with Alcaraz they will be No. 1 and 2 I think for quite a few years to come, because they are both very good players.

So, yes, a great ambassador for the sport. He's a great guy. He plays really very, very well. His timing is extraordinary. He's a very big player.

Q. Richard, you said it also depended on how you were going to feel. Could you explain what you've changed in your daily life, in your training, in order to hold out physically.

RICHARD GASQUET: Well, I try and push myself and push the boundaries. Quite a lot of physical training, as well, and try to be consistent and be very serious above everything on the outside. Yes, I've held out so far and I'm going to carry on in the same way and we'll see how far it takes me.

It's fabulous to be playing on these two courts, Suzanne Lenglen and the central court. With the audience there it's fabulous, so we're going to try and continue.

You don't know what comes next, whether it's in Bercy or next year here or before. It's very difficult to know myself. When you lose two or three matches you say that you're going to be stopping one week later and then you win a match, and, well, you want to continue a little bit. Then if I lose three times on grass, you never know.

No, but I feel good. I feel good. But I'm not 25 years old anymore. But I don't feel that bad.

Q. I wanted to have your feedback on the experience, because you've played a lot on Suzanne Lenglen with a new roof. You played with the roof against Coric last time. What's your feeling about this court? Is the roof good? Does it help the court to maintain its charm?

RICHARD GASQUET: Yes, the central court is magnificent also, but for me the court is a little bit faster there. Suzanne Lenglen is a little bit smaller and it's easier to hit the ball, easier to serve. Here it's far slower on the central court than on the other court.

But yeah, obviously it's great over there. There's the audience really close to you. And the roof, yeah, it does do some good.

You know, it's incredible to have such bad weather, but yeah, it's surprising. But both courts are fabulous. In France it's a great atmosphere every time you play, so it's very pleasant to have all of the public supporting you.

Q. (Question off microphone.)

RICHARD GASQUET: So I don't know if -- I think we can believe what he says. He's not the worst.