US OPEN

September 1, 2005

Gilles Muller

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

GILLES MULLER: Well, today was very tough for me. I mean, I woke already up this morning and I was feeling pretty tired. Then I think it was too much for me. I mean, I played great against Andy, but today I played -- I don't think that I -- of course I played worse, but, I mean, it wasn't the tennis. I think it was something in the head. I mean, yesterday I didn't have so much time to rest, and I got so many phone calls. So I think I have to learn how to deal with this things, with these kind of moments. I mean, it's good to beat Roddick. But then if you play in the next round, you play like this, like I did today, I mean, it doesn't change anything. So I have to try to deal with these moments and try to find some time to relax in the day, and then I think I'm better for the next match.

GILLES MULLER: Yeah, that's an idea. That's what I'm gonna do the next time. That's true (smiling).

GILLES MULLER: No, I think -- yeah --

GILLES MULLER: Yeah, I mean, I feel pretty tense in the beginning and then I have to tell you also, I mean, he played great. He returned every ball I served. He made me play so many balls. I missed. Then finally I get more tense and more tense. Then I was scared. I didn't try so much anymore to go for the points, but I stayed more back behind the baseline to put the balls in the court, and then he hit winners. In the beginning I didn't know what to do. I was feeling like I was serving bad because he returned every ball. Then I tried to hit faster and harder, and so that's how you get more tense. Then finally in the end of the second set, I went to the net a lot. I was doing serve and volley all the time. That's what I think what I had to do also in the beginning, maybe to relax a little bit more and then keep the points short and these kind of things. But I did it too late.

GILLES MULLER: Well, I mean, that's too easy. I mean, for sure I was not moving that good. I mean, I felt also my legs were not going as fast as last time. But, like I said, I think this has to do -- I'm not looking for an excuse. I mean, it was my fault that I didn't relax more yesterday. I mean, I had also to play doubles. I went to sleep at 2:30, I had to wake up at 8 to come here to play doubles. Next time I have to think also about if I want to play doubles or no, because, I mean, that was also pretty tough yesterday. I have to just to try to deal with these kind of moments. And next time when I'm playing in the big court like this, it's nice when you come to the club the next day and the people are screaming all the day, "Muller" here, "Muller" there. But I wasn't ready for that. I didn't know that I can have so much impact on the people. I mean, today I saw so many -- I mean, not so many, maybe two or three, but from Luxembourg, is huge. I saw so many flags in the people. I didn't know I had that big impact on people. I have to realize it and try to deal with it now.

GILLES MULLER: Well, I don't think that it's too much to ask for this. I mean, the problem is that I didn't feel ready today to do it. That's why, I think. I think maybe if I have one more day or if I had some -- if I had more and more experience to play these matches, I mean, I didn't play that many matches on this kind of level and this kind of stadium. So I just have to get used to it and try to get more experience and for these moments. Then I think I am dealing better with them. Then I feel also ready to go and beat another guy the next day.

GILLES MULLER: I felt pretty tired this morning when I woke up. And then when I was warming up in the court, I was feeling already -- I was feeling heavy and the balls were not going out of the racquet that much like last time. You know, also, like the match before was going pretty fast. So I didn't have time so much to eat something. Everything was very, like, going fast this morning. So I didn't have so much time to prepare for the match like last time. Last time I came early at 5 o'clock here and then I was playing a little bit and then relaxing a little bit. Today everything was going too fast for me.

GILLES MULLER: Well, I mean, that's how it is. I mean, one day you're up beating Roddick, and the next day you're losing in straight sets and winning six games against Ginepri. I mean, but, I mean, I have to tell you, okay, I beat Roddick, but I think Ginepri is playing great also. I mean, I cannot only say that I played bad; he made me play bad also. He was returning so many balls, and Roddick didn't return them. He was running to every ball, and so I think you have to give him lots of credit for what he did today.