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MONTE-CARLO ROLEX MASTERSApril 15, 2013Julien BenneteauMONTE CARLO, MONACO M. RAONIC/J. Benneteau THE MODERATOR: Questions in French. Q. That second serve, 200 kilometers per hour, did it annoy you? JULIEN BENNETEAU: Yes. We tried to wait until he would miss his first serve to try to do something with his second serve, so this is annoying. He has an incredible weapon with his serve and it's very tough. It's a very powerful weapon. Q. Last year we could say you were the victim of bad luck. This year we could say you're the victim of Raonic. JULIEN BENNETEAU: Yes, I was definitely the victim of Raonic's game. Because of his style of game, he was able to strangle me. He was preventing me from playing my game. He was able to push me back from the first shot, and I had no opportunity of getting a rally started. Even when he's not in the best position, he's still able to hit extremely hard. The best thing to do against him is to make him run towards his backhand, but it was very tough for me to do. The second set was a bit better. That's what my coach said. But during the first set I was pushed back all the time, and I couldn't counter his powerful shots. In the second set, I was able to play some points, even if I made errors. I didn't feel bad about my tennis. It was all right. But I need to work on my game. Q. Did the Davis Cup have an impact on this particular match? You put more into a Davis Cup tie than a normal match, and Gilles seemed affected, too. JULIEN BENNETEAU:  It might have had an impact on my game, but this doesn't explain that I lost today. I must say Raonic was better than I was. He also played Davis Cup and he didn't play on clay. He was on the other side of the world playing in Vancouver. He's now here playing well, so he's a better player. Q. But there's a big difference between you and him: he won the tie. JULIEN BENNETEAU: That's what my coach told me. He said, He won, which is different from your situation. He came here with a lot of confidence and using that win to play. So, of course, it might have been a factor. But last year it was the same. We also played Davis Cup just before here. Even though we lost the tie, all the players of the French team played well here. Of course, there wasn't any jetlag or long traveling. Q. Is anything frustrating you in your game since Rotterdam? JULIEN BENNETEAU: No, nothing in particular. I just need to find a better rhythm. I will have two weeks now to practice my singles before I play my next match. It's perfect. I will be able to play that match, be fresh physically and mentally. I need to work on my legs, with my movement on clay. I will still play the doubles here the best I can, and I will take advantage of the week I have to improve my game. Q. You are playing the doubles with Zimonjic. How did you get together? JULIEN BENNETEAU: Well, it just happened in Miami. He heard that his partner was not playing any more. Several teams were splitting in Miami. I personally needed a very high‑ranked player to play with me. I usually played with Jo or Richard because they're French and it's nice. But both of them are not playing doubles any more during the tournaments. He asked me in Miami if I wanted to play with him. It's great for me because it's good to have a fixed partner. It will help me improve my game. Sometimes it might be a handicap because you get tired, but generally speaking it's very positive. Our deal is for Monte‑Carlo, Rome and Madrid. After that we'll see. He asked me to play on grass with him, but I already promised to play with Edouard. Q. When you entered onto the center court, you did a pilgrimage around the court. JULIEN BENNETEAU: Not a pilgrimage, just a tour. The court is a lot better this year. It's a lot flatter. I was watching Gilles play on TV in the locker room and I saw he tripped in one very precise spot. We talked about it after. He said, yes, that's exactly the same spot. Q. You practiced with Djokovic. How is he playing? JULIEN BENNETEAU: He hits well (smiling). But he doesn't run. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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