ROLEX PARIS MASTERS

November 3, 2024

Ugo Humbert

Press Conference

A. ZVEREV/U. Humbert

6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: (In English.) Bad luck. Not the result you wanted today, but can you look back at the week and be positive about all you accomplished?

UGO HUMBERT: (In French.) It was a beautiful week, despite my defeat today. My feeling is that I gave it my all. I have no regrets.

He was stronger than me in every aspect of tennis. I couldn't recover from yesterday's match enough, but congrats to him.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. The last two times you played him, they are close three-setters. What do you think was different today?

UGO HUMBERT: He was better than me in every part of the game, and physically it was tough for me today with my battle against Karen.

So, yeah, he was much better. Just congratulations, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. Ugo, what struck you most? Because it seemed that there was a huge difference. You were tired from yesterday. He played a lot too. But did he surprise you in this physical battle?

UGO HUMBERT: Physically, when I woke up this morning during the warmup it was not easy. I was tired. But I accepted that it was the way it was. Mentally, I also felt that I was less composed.

As for him, his serve was amazing during the first set. I had no free points during the second set. Sometimes I could have some free points, but also, his forehand I thought that I could try to get something, but he gave me nothing. The only point I could get is when he had a crosscourt backhand. Otherwise nothing.

He played as usual, far from his line. It was difficult to outpace him. He got the most out of me. I tried to do my utmost. It was tough, but that's the way it is.

Q. You said several times that Bercy is your favorite tournament. Now that the week is over, do you think that you gave everything to this tournament, everything that it deserved?

UGO HUMBERT: This tournament is amazing. The history, the track record of this tournament, with all the players who won this tournament, it's crazy.

I would have liked to etch my name on the trophy, but I did my utmost. I wanted to live this tournament intensively. This is what happened.

Every match was riveting. I'm delighted that I could go through this experience with my team, my family, my friends, and the French public.

Q. Hello, Ugo. When you say that mentally you were less strong, how can you explain it?

UGO HUMBERT: It was because physically I was tired. It was tougher for me. So I tried to speak to myself, to kick some things inside of me.

But the body wouldn't react. My head would like to, but my body didn't want to do anything. That's what I felt.

Q. Have you learned things about yourself this week? Did you surprise yourself? Could you anticipate that you would have such a week and that you would have such achievements?

UGO HUMBERT: It's a very good question. I felt that I was capable, so I'm not surprised that I reached that level, that I beat Alcaraz, to have reached the finals of a Masters 1000 tournament. I'm working hard. I have a great team around me to help me and guide me.

So all in all, I'm glad that it paid off this week, but I'm not surprised to have reached that level.

Q. At the end of the match, you were down a set, one or two breaks down, and the public backed you so much, and you were one or two points away from defeat. I have never seen that. What did you try to trigger?

UGO HUMBERT: It was tough. I tried until the end to be faithful to myself, to my values, to put up a battle until the end. When it's not over, there's still hope, and with this public, it's crazy.

He missed two points only, the first two shots. And then he never missed afterwards. I believed in it until the end. I hoped that I would level the scores, but ultimately the scores were quite painful for me.

So I fought until the end, and this is what I want to keep in mind.