ROLAND GARROS

May 27, 2024

Lorenzo Musetti

Press Conference

L. MUSETTI/DE. Galan

6-3, 6-3, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Just talk about that first-up win today.

LORENZO MUSETTI: Yeah, it was not an easy start, an easy match. I played against Daniel Elahi a few weeks ago in Cagliari. It was a completely different condition, a completely different tournament. We were playing best of three. Sorry. Best of -- yeah, best of three.

Today he served pretty good, and I was returning pretty well today and really good feelings on the return. For sure I had my, let's say, a little bit of -- I wasted a little bit of my advantage position in the third set when I had the ball for the 4-Love and double break.

But tennis is like this, and especially in best of five you have to be really patient and come to find solution to the end, and that's what I did today. So I'm really happy to pass this tough first round.

Q. How do you feel about your clay court season so far? Do you feel like you kind of are building to that level that you were at a couple of years ago?

LORENZO MUSETTI: Yeah, for sure I started pretty good in Monte-Carlo, and then I had some not really great tournaments, but in between Barcelona and Madrid I had the opportunity to, let's say, put some matches in my body in Cagliari and Turin.

In Rome, unfortunately, I couldn't be, let's say, prepared to the match. That's why I retired, but I already explained.

I think that two finals in Cagliari and Turin were really positive weeks for me. I made good points for my ranking, for my -- I played good matches. I won with great players, so I think they were, like, helping me a lot to, let's say, showing the level that I showed today.

So really, let's say, good chances to have the challenger under 75 to help a little bit more matches in my legs and having the right rhythm for French Open.

Q. You recently became a father. We hear so often that fatherhood changes people and players, but you became a father at 22 years of age. How much has your perspective changed in the last couple of months, and has it sunk in yet that you are a dad?

LORENZO MUSETTI: Yeah, it's such probably the best experience of my life. I had the chance to be able to be there when Ludovico is born. It was exactly between Indian Wells and Miami, and then after five days I flied back to Miami where I played a great tournament without so many preparation and thoughts.

But I think it's also the secret of tennis where sometimes you don't expect something in the tournament, it's where you perform well. So that was really a good feeling for myself, and I'm really enjoying the opportunity to bring Ludovico and my girlfriend, Veronica, to some tournaments in Italy. Hopefully I can bring them, let's say, more often in the third day where they are really a great company and always teaching me every day something new. So really helpful even for the court.

Q. Just last one on that. Just becoming a father, has your perspective changed, though? Obviously if you have a tournament and you don't get the right result, sometimes you come home, and you see your young kid there, and you think, Wow, all this doesn't really matter because I have him there. Has that occurred to you yet at this stage?

LORENZO MUSETTI: Yes, of course. A smile from my son is a good help to, let's say, decompress a lot of things during our, let's say, tournaments and matches. Of course, it's really emotional when you start to, let's say, play not only for yourself, but even for, let's say, your family and especially in this case for my son and for everyone who is looking from home.

So I'm trying to be the best version of myself as a father, but also as a player. So I think this mentality will help me to make a step forward.