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MASTERS SERIES MONTE-CARLOApril 18, 2007Richard GasquetMONTE-CARLO, MONACO Q. You are now reassured about your physical condition? You recuperated well? RICHARD GASQUET: It was tough. I started this match very well. After that I had a moment of uncertainty, but this is normal because yesterday's match was not easy. I recuperated well. I felt good during practice this morning. I had a lot of resources. Q. Why did you call the physio? Was it because of your shoulder? RICHARD GASQUET: Yes. I had a pain in my shoulder. The balls started feeling heavy and I just had a tough game, so I needed bit of rest. Q. Did you feel the pain from the beginning of the match? RICHARD GASQUET: Well, after yesterday's long match it's normal to have some pain, and I wanted to have a treatment. This helped me to recuperate after the tough game for my shoulder. The massage was good. Q. Did you need to buy time? RICHARD GASQUET: I started the match very fast because I felt relaxed, more than yesterday. He was playing well also, and I believe it was good of me. I kept it up until the end. I felt much more comfortable with my shots today. Q. Is it a good feeling to win such a close match like yesterday? RICHARD GASQUET: Yes. It's vital. It was not a fantastic match, but it was difficult for me to read in the press that the match was not good to watch, that it was tentative. When I play well, it's easy. For me, the beautiful matches are those where I don't play well and I fight until the end. I respect your opinion and I have my own, but on this point I believe I am right. Q. We used your own words. RICHARD GASQUET: 80% of the time on the tour we are tentative. We change places, we change conditions, we change surfaces. It's not easy to feel relaxed as soon as the first match. I really think it was good of me to win that match. Q. We also said that. RICHARD GASQUET: But not as often as the contrary. Q. In the end of the first set he was coming back. RICHARD GASQUET: He hits the ball flat. That kind of game suits me better than my opponent yesterday. And I have also another advantage: I beat him several times, three times in a row. Winning the first set was very important. It was capital. Q. What do you think about your next opponent? RICHARD GASQUET: The match is still being played. Ljubicic has a very good serve. He dictated the game with his power. I need to serve better. For the time being I'm not serving so well. Q. Is it due to your pain in the shoulder? RICHARD GASQUET: No. After Davis Cup I didn't serve for one week, and this made me lose my rhythm on my serve. I'm not worried for the time being, but I need to serve better against the top players. Q. So you would like to be left alone? RICHARD GASQUET: It's not easy for me. When I was injured and I stayed six weeks in my room, I had no phone calls, nobody around, and now this. I trust the structure in which I work with Eric. We are doing a good job. I don't need help from the whole world. It seems that even the janitor is trying to help me. Q. Don't you believe that if Guy Forget is hard on you it is because he really believes in your potential? RICHARD GASQUET: Certainly, yes, but I am not sick. I'm feeling good. I know how to work. I'm happy to be Top 15. Of course I want more, and I'm going to work very hard for that. Last year at this period I was sick, but not this year. So for me it's difficult to read all that about me. Q. The status of No. 1 is always heavy to bear. Maybe Seb can give you some advice. RICHARD GASQUET: No. I prefer to be No. 1 than 13 or 14 like two years ago. It is absolutely normal than people expect a lot from me. I have to listen to the criticism when they are right. Q. In Davis Cup, the No. 1 player is only there to score one point, but he's not there to play the live rubber in the fifth match. RICHARD GASQUET: It's cumbersome. It's a great pressure. I should be able to put less pressure on myself in Davis Cup. Q. Don't you believe these matches help you when you play in the French Open afterwards? RICHARD GASQUET: Yes, of course. But I still believe less pressure should be put on Davis Cup. I didn't deserve to be the scapegoat. Q. Are you angry against the journalists or Guy? RICHARD GASQUET: It wasn't very wise to bring all this up in this the newspapers. Of course he said it, and it was legitimate from you to say it. Q. Isn't a champion supposed to be able to take all this? RICHARD GASQUET: That's right. Q. What do you want to work on in your game? RICHARD GASQUET: I should hit the ball earlier and serve better. I have a lot of room for improvement. I can serve better, go more to the net, take more risks. Q. You are talking about technical shots, but what can you do mentally? RICHARD GASQUET: There are many details. I will become stronger mentally when I have more victories, and then I will be stronger physically. I followed a very serious physical program, and now I am able to play very good for several matches in a row. I was wondering about that. Q. Do you enjoy yourself on the court? RICHARD GASQUET: Yes, of course. Playing in Monte-Carlo with a full stadium, or in the French Open or in Davis Cup, it's fantastic. I wouldn't give up my position for anything else in the world. Q. For winning the French Open, you must be able to win seven matches in a row. RICHARD GASQUET: I still have another two or three years to work on that. I will be at my best at around 23 or 24 years old. I know that. I'm trying to do the maximum I can every day. I'm very pleased to be Top 15 but I'm really hoping to do better than that. I have major ambitions for the next two or three years. End of FastScripts |
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