ROLAND GARROS

May 26, 2024

Corentin Moutet

Press Conference

C. MOUTET/N. Jarry

6-2, 6-1, 3-6, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Was it the goal to take the Simonne-Mathieu along with you for the whole match? Did you plan that before the match?

CORENTIN MOUTET: Yes, that's the aim every year. When you are French and you play against foreigners, we're at home, and so the atmosphere is often alive. We saw it during the qualifications.

I think they did the job, and as a French player, it was a really great experience, a fantastic atmosphere, and I had a lot of fun.

Q. You had already played with Jarry away in Chile. Did that match count to believe that everything was possible tonight?

CORENTIN MOUTET: Yes, even without that match actually, I always believe that I have a chance, and that's why I train all year very hard to be able to play against the best in the world. He's better ranked than myself at the moment, but I've always believed in myself.

As you said, I already beat him this year in his home country, and so I knew I was able to do it. I trained a lot. Of course, I was a bit tense because it's always a bit tricky to play a first game in a tournament, but I believed that I had the opportunity to win, and I did everything I could.

Q. (Indiscernible) Secondly, what was your problem in the third set? Was it your defensive play, which was a bit too defensive? What did you adjust in the last set?

CORENTIN MOUTET: Yes, I think I was more defensive, but he was far more aggressive, and he played far longer on the court. He put pressure on me. When one is more aggressive, the other tends to be more defensive.

It was tricky, and I tried to find solutions. I think he broke me only once in the third set, so I managed to keep my services, although what he was doing is very complicated. I had a few opportunities. Not a lot. A few opportunities.

So maybe I could have turned around the third set. I was 40-30. It was very close, but he played very well. He served very well. He played a very good third set.

So the goal was to keep my service in the fourth set to begin with and to try to be a bit more aggressive and to play longer in the court and to be a bit more aggressive.

Q. (Off microphone)

CORENTIN MOUTET: I don't plan that much. I don't role play, but it was fun. I had my family, my friends there. I think that you have to bring a little bit of lightness back into all of this.

Q. There was some crazy points at the beginning of the fourth set. Was it those two first games of the fourth set that were the turning point of the match?

CORENTIN MOUTET: Yes, for sure the beginning of the fourth set was really hot. I knew I had to keep my service absolutely to put pressure on his returns and to try and do it more easily than in the third set so that I could be more relaxed and to have a little bit more downtime because I was always kind of under water in the third. I was trying to hit back the ball, et cetera.

So a bit of lightness in the fourth set. I was more aggressive. I had him more with my forehands. I did some slides, some drop shots, and it worked very well. I think the fourth set of the best set of the match.

Q. Just a final question about the spectators. You felt their full support. Were they a little bit disrespectful with regard to Jarry? There was quite a lot of whistling when he got a bit upset as well, but also applause for a double fault -- or a simple fault.

CORENTIN MOUTET: I think that's a bit subjective. For you it's a lack of respect. I don't know. I'm not a journalist.

No, I'm not for disrespect. To say it was disrespectful when I enjoyed it, I think is not quite right, but they did applaud him when he came on to the court. I was booed in Chile from the beginning to the end of the match.

I don't know if it's a question of disrespect. For you it's disrespect. For me it isn't, but that's everybody's individual point of view.