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ROLAND GARROSMay 27, 2014Richard GasquetPARIS, FRANCE R. GASQUET/B. Tomic THE MODERATOR: Questions in French, please. Q. How about your back? RICHARD GASQUET: It's okay. I can't serve 100%, but I serve about 80% of my capacities. I have been in pain. I have some muscle pains after the match, but it's nothing like what it was two weeks ago. So it's much better, obviously. It's much better. I was a little apprehensive. My body is not at 100% of its capacities. I have stopped playing for eight weeks. I only have trained for 10 days, so it's difficult. But in spite of all of this, I don't expect too much of myself. I'm happy if I'm not in pain, and I do my best with my capacities. But what matters most is that I am not in pain, no pain at all, because it was really unbearable. Q. A question regarding your draw yesterday, Wawrinka was eliminated. He was on the same draw as you. Does it open up the draw for you? RICHARD GASQUET: If I reach the round of 16, I'll be happy. The next round will be difficult. I think my opponent is even favorite against me. I don't even know who I might be playing against in the third round. I'm really not thinking that far into the future of the competition. I was able to play, and that already in itself was good news because I have been through some very difficult times. Q. You come to Roland, you're not at 100% of your capacities, but you can play. Is it difficult to manage mentally, to be here and to think you're not 100%? RICHARD GASQUET: Yes, of course, but I'm trying to be positive. I was in pain, it was difficult to find what was wrong, some people even said it was really serious. I went through all sorts of medical checks, and they said maybe I would have to stop for four or five months. It's not that bad. I know what's wrong with me. The diagnosis took time, but at least I'm happy about that. I'm frustrated that I cannot play 100%, but I'm happy I can play again, and that's really what matters most. Everybody can have pains now and again. It's rather positive for the rest of the tournament. It's not the best time, but it could have been even worse. Honestly, honestly, I'm very relieved. Q. What about the practice when you decided you were able to play Roland Garros last week? RICHARD GASQUET: Well, it was last Saturday when I spent a day with Mathieu, and we did one set and I felt that I could play honestly and defend my chances. Bernard has had an operation early this year, so he was not at the best of his fitness capacity. So winning here was the best that I could hope for. Eight weeks without playing, three infiltrations, it was difficult to come back. I'm really looking forward to getting back to my best level. And I'm feeling better. It is going to take some time, but I will be even stronger than I was in the past and than what I am now. Q. We've watched you serve, no real weaknesses in your motions. Now, in the next round it's going to be more difficult, he's a clay player. Do you think you have the physical capacity to put up with a strong fight? RICHARD GASQUET: Yes, of course it's going to be difficult. He's a different kind of player. He really is a clay specialist. He won in Estoril this year. He's a very good clay player. We saw him in the Davis Cup last year. It's going to be difficult. I don't know, honestly. I don't know if I can hold on until the end. I will do my best. I know the crowd is going to support me. I have the experience it takes. It's going to be tough, but again, I don't want to expect too much of myself. I want to be relaxed, to be aggressive, and to think maybe not, why not? He's the favorite, but I'm so happy that I'm here. Some doctors really said that I had to stop until October, so I'm much better off than I was a month ago. So really, honestly, I'm very happy to be able to talk to you with a victory, with no pain in my back. It's a very good day for me. Q. But the good thing today is that you won in three sets. That's good news? RICHARD GASQUET: Yes, of course it's good news. I don't have a lot of stamina, fitness, so I'm quite happy I won in three sets. So with no pain, I'm in the second round, I can practice, I can improve. I have no special objective here except to play matches with good feelings and no pain. Q. Dimitrov was eliminated by Karlovic. You played several times with Karlovic. Why is he so difficult as an opponent? His serve? RICHARD GASQUET: Yes, of course, his serve. He has a huge, awesome serve, one of the best serves in the world. And if you know that if you make a mistake he's going to break you. And there you go, your set is lost. That's the reason why he's so special. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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