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ROLAND GARROSMay 25, 2014Edouard Roger-VasselinPARIS, FRANCE J. TSONGA/E. Roger‑Vasselin THE MODERATOR: Questions in French. Q. Well, I was wondering when or do you have regrets or not after the match or did you play your best? EDOUARD ROGER‑VASSELIN: Well, I did my best, that's true. I always do that. In all of my matches, I do my best. But then what I might regret is not to have won one of the first two sets. One set all would have been different. The match would have been totally different. And then during the third set he played really well and it was really hard for me. Then, you know, it's not much that makes the difference, but at the end of the day usually the best wins, generally. Today the best won. Q. What about playing on the central court? EDOUARD ROGER‑VASSELIN: Well, I have mixed feelings, you see. It's good when you win, but when you lose, even though the atmosphere is good, the crowd is there with me, as well. When I was down the crowd was with me. But then I think it can be much more intense when you're winning rather than being here running for the points, trying to catch up and be there on the courts. Mixed feelings, even though the experience was really good. But being defeated, you know, is more difficult to swallow. Q. Now, offhand, what would you say? Why didn't you manage to win one of these two sets? What's the reason? EDOUARD ROGER‑VASSELIN: Well, these two sets are quite different, you know. The first one was that I didn't get off to a good start, but then afterwards he gave me a break point and then when we were 6‑All it was really tough. Then I can't remember the points during the tiebreak, but I made a double mistake, and then I missed a point when I got to the net for the set point. But then it's the details, but these details never happen by pure chance. It's the other player who puts more pressure on you or me, and we cannot really stand this type of pressure. People would say, Why did he make such a mistake? It's perhaps the moment when I take too many risks, because he was waiting for me for a passing shot. All these things, you know, it's an unforced mistake, but it's never pure chance, as I say. Some regrets during the first set, and then during the second set it was tougher and tougher. But all of my games were difficult for me to win, and I don't, can't remember, but I didn't have many opportunities to seize. Then it was getting tougher and tougher like punching ball, he was hitting, hitting, hitting. I was trying to return, return, return, but then I didn't have the upper hand on the whole match. I was feeling I didn't have much or many options. He was hitting harder than I was, I was holding on, holding on, but I didn't have control of the match. I was feeling it's going to get tougher and tougher. There was a moment when I made three silly mistakes at 5‑All, as I was saying before, it doesn't happen pure chance. It's because I was holding on, holding on, holding on and then all of a sudden I couldn't hold on. Then that's it, unfortunately. That's what I would say the lessons. It's difficult. I don't have the weapons to fight back against him to hold on, which is the only thing could I do. I was not leading the game. He was. Therefore, you know, you have to find solutions, but it's not always easy. When he was hitting twice as hard as I was, not always easy. Q. Now, you played against him during the Davis Cup. What about him today, his tennis style, etcetera? EDOUARD ROGER‑VASSELIN: Well, I don't really like talking about my opponent. You know, what I do and what is interesting to me is what I do. What I can say is at the end of the match, I hoped for him to go deep in the tournament. Now that I've lost, go for it, I thought. But then the third set he was totally cool, and his forehand was incredible. When I was holding on I was thinking, Oh, he's getting nervous. But as I said earlier on, I didn't have control. I was not leading the games and the match. But he was not that serene, and I thought, Let's go for it even more. But I couldn't manage. I didn't. When he was up during the third set, it was incredible. He was a real tennis monster, and I was playing not as good as before. But sometimes we were really close, and after we will see what he is going to say about it. But during the first two sets I think he was not really a bit like Jo. Q. What are the lessons you would draw from the clay season? EDOUARD ROGER‑VASSELIN: Really awful. Really. That's for sure. Even though I played major tournaments and the draws I had were not that easy for me. But, you know, if I'm here, it's because I have to win one of those here and then to continue. And the results are really awful, awful. I didn't win two matches in six tournaments. Not good at all. But then, you know, I hope it's going to change. I have to continue even though it's tough, tough to swallow, to lose during the first rounds, even though these were good matches against excellent players. But, you know, these losses, they were ‑‑ even though people would say, Okay, it's against Jo, central court, okay, but a loss is a loss. Q. You took an anti‑inflammatory during the third set? EDOUARD ROGER‑VASSELIN: No, no, no, because I was wanting to change the pace, I was getting tired, I wanted to change the pace, the rhythm. Secondly, I had a good excuse, you know, I could have said my ears are making a noise, you know, I wanted to breathe, to breathe, to break the rhythm. But otherwise, no, I'm fine. Q. I have a question but not about the match. That is many of the best French players no longer live in France, whereas you have decided to live in France. Why? And what do you think about this trend? Well, it's not just for France. It happens in many other countries. People go to Monaco or Switzerland. EDOUARD ROGER‑VASSELIN: The reason is very simple, you know. It's for tax reasons. Let's face it. Even though maybe I could have gone and lived somewhere else in another country, but my career is different from the other players' careers. So I work here to come here. I'm not far away. I feel good here. There is no reason why I should move. Even though I pay taxes like anybody else, it's the way it is. I don't want to move homes. I'm too old to do that, to change. Q. What about this trend on the tour? What would you say? EDOUARD ROGER‑VASSELIN: Well, Monaco, you know, they go there because they can also practice all the year‑round where you can play outdoors throughout the year whereas here Paris, and even for the foreigners and the other ones more to the north of Europe, just ask them, but I suppose it's one of the good reasons to go live in Monaco, I think. Q. So you're satisfied with the practicing conditions here for you? EDOUARD ROGER‑VASSELIN: Yes. Yes. It's mainly ‑‑well, I didn't think about it, but Monaco, why not? It's pleasant. You can play outdoors throughout the year, but I feel good here, you see. So I do not plan to move. Q. Now that we're talking about personal questions, do you think there is something happy that's going to happen soon in your family? EDOUARD ROGER‑VASSELIN: Yeah, in October, absolutely. It didn't help me to win, but, yes, there is a happy event. Do you think she was too big? Is that the reason (laughter)? FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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