ROLEX PARIS MASTERS

November 1, 2024

Ugo Humbert

Press Conference

U. HUMBERT/J. Thompson

6-2, 7-6

(In French.)

THE MODERATOR: Well done, Ugo. Another good performance. We see that you're very focused. How did you live through this match?

UGO HUMBERT: I lived really well through it. I had a solid match from the beginning to the end. I started the first set very well with a lot of aggressivity, and very quickly I played my strokes with ease.

Then in the second set he fought back, and then I kept saying -- well, twice I missed the ball and I felt I had to fight it and I could get back.

Then I don't know what happened. At one point I felt a pain in my foot, and then I didn't know how it would go. Next, he gave me possibility, and I could change and get back into the match, and I'm very proud of myself.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Well done, Ugo. Do we have to be concerned about your foot?

UGO HUMBERT: No. The physiotherapist was there. He wanted to strap my foot, but I said, no, I don't feel like it. Something moved, but I'm sure it will get back.

So I had to clench my teeth for one or two strokes, and then it was okay. Then I went back, and there doesn't seem to be any problem.

Q. Ugo, what are you most proud of today with your ability or your certainty to be able to go to a match and give the most you can give? What happens when you have a hurt foot or you let two match points go back? What makes you most proud?

UGO HUMBERT: Well, the whole management of the match really, from the match yesterday to the preparation, I did my best from the beginning to the end of the match.

I get prepared as best as I can. I tried to give myself the opportunity of another moment on this center court, which is great with this great atmosphere. As soon as I'm on the court, I feel I can do anything. I play with my heart.

I find solutions. I'm never too worried. When I play, I'm listening and I have a great feeling, and this enables me to strike incredible balls and get a victory.

Q. You're describing an incredible state of confidence. Were you ever that confident on court?

UGO HUMBERT: No, I'm not surprised. I do things as they must be done. I train constantly. I'm extremely serious. I could feel from my practice that there would be moments like this. I'm not surprised to see my level of play. I'm happy that it's happening now.

The good thing is that I didn't think too much about the result, and that makes it easier.

Q. What struck me at the end of the match when he broke you, you still remained focused in your bubble like you were on a mission. How do you get into that state? I have seen from the outside, it looked like you weren't concerned.

UGO HUMBERT: Well, I wasn't worried. So he broke me, but I thought, well, if there is to be a third set, there will be a third set. I wasn't worried. I was confident. I felt I could get back into the game. If I had an opportunity, it would be great.

At the end, I felt transcendent, really, to go for the victory. I remembered a few matches where at important times I was really expecting too much. I was waiting too much.

There I felt if you miss it, you miss it, but you won't regret it. So I thought it was better to go for it rather than wait and see (smiling). So otherwise I would have been upset. So this is how I got the last two points at the end.

Q. You have been playing match after match, sometimes very late. How do you recover that well? What is your state of fatigue?

UGO HUMBERT: Yes, last night I went to bed around 2:00 a.m. Because of the media, I had to have a shower, eat, get some treatment, and then you are super excited, so you have to bring it down.

My psychologist earlier said, you know, fatigue is like a cloud, it goes away, she said to me. So, well, that's the way it is. I'm here. I make the best of it. I give everything I have and that's it.

Q. Congratulations, Ugo. In the tiebreak, there was an important point, this defense with the two smashes. We felt the public was with you. How did you feel that? Does this mindset seem to be symptomatic of this tournament?

UGO HUMBERT: I felt I was Alcaraz, in a way (smiling). I thought, well, the first time I anticipated the right way, and then I saw it very close to the panel, and I saw it was going to hit it, and then I saw it was perfect. The last lob that went to the angle, I thought, well, this is incredible.

Then I went on. I hung on. I had to go and get the public to try and get some stress from them, as well. Because when you feel that you have 15,000 people against you, it's incredible. But the point was incredible. I tell you, I almost felt I was Alcaraz.