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MONTE-CARLO ROLEX MASTERS

April 14, 2011

Gilles Simon

MONTE CARLO, MONACO

A. MURRAY/G. Simon
6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. Could you first talk about the first part of the match to 5-3, set point.
GILLES SIMON: I thought I could have played better. But I was not going for my shots. Against a player like him, I have trouble relaxing. I tried a couple of things I wanted to experiment with, that I had not tried until then.

Q. What was the general idea against him?
GILLES SIMON: I wanted to hurt him with my forehand, but I found it difficult because he was playing high balls. Also two or three times I was ready to go to the net and at the last minute I hesitated and didn't go.
My offensive choices were difficult to make. At 3-All I played two loose games.

Q. What about your ankle?
GILLES SIMON: It's already better. It was tough because I hurt myself twice. Once would have been enough. First time it was at the end of the first set and I knew I needed two or three minutes before I could step on it again. That's why I asked to stop the game immediately. After I thought it would be okay because I didn't have pain anymore, but I lost my serve.
I was able to fight pretty well at the beginning of the second set, but at 40-Love I had a bad slide, I hurt myself again, and then I knew it was going to be tough.

Q. You never thought of retiring?
GILLES SIMON: Yes. But these last weeks have been tough on me. I had many losses that didn't teach me anything and were not interesting. So I asked for some tape that gradually became a real cast (smiling). I couldn't run on the right-hand side. But if he served to my body, then I could return pretty well. I was happy with a few shots I made. I was disappointed I couldn't run those dropshots down.

Q. The crowd was not very happy with those dropshots. What did you think?
GILLES SIMON: I would have done the same in his position. It was not a pleasant match to play for him. As far as I'm concerned, when the ball was coming towards me, I was able to hurt him. Therefore, it was absolutely normal on his part to try the dropshots.

Q. What is the diagnosis for your ankle?
GILLES SIMON: I will see the doctor later. But it's as usual, I believe. After three or four days, it's going to be better again.

Q. Don't you believe those health problems should stop?
GILLES SIMON: Well, that's easy to say. A loss like this one today would have been interesting even if it was 1-1. I could have maybe gotten some lessons from it if I had been in good health. But the way it is, I don't learn anything. Same in Miami.

Q. The crowd was booing Murray. What do you think of that?
GILLES SIMON: Will I really have to answer? I don't know. But Andy did just what he had to do. He was trying to win the match.

Q. Did he sympathize with you at any stage?
GILLES SIMON: No. But, as I said, the match certainly wasn't pleasant for him to play. He's not going to apologize for playing a winner. That would be ridiculous. He did what he had to do. If he hadn't done that, I would have been able to hit more winners.

Q. Shouldn't you work on your body to try to prevent all those injuries?
GILLES SIMON: There's nothing much you can do for a sprained ankle. It's just bad luck. It never happened before that way. I know what to do for my back. I exercise every day to try to prevent pain. What can I do for a sprained ankle? I slid the same way a thousand times before. Why did it happen just there, I don't know. Bad luck.

Q. Generally speaking, you are playing well in this period.
GILLES SIMON: Yes, I'm playing well. But it would be nice to be able to play for longer periods without having to stop because of an injury. These past weeks I was once up 4-2, Love-40, and I thought nothing could happen to me anymore, and then I had an acute pain in my right thigh and I lost 6-4. I was absolutely furious and frustrated.
The same type of situation happened in Miami.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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