“It was a pretty crazy match. Can you describe to us what states you went through? Obviously, after the match, I am disappointed to have lost. It would have been a great victory because I think it was a balanced match, with a lot of ups and downs on both sides. The first set was very tight, it was played on very few points. He wins it, but I might as well have won it too. It was very close. In the second set I felt really good. I took the lead and played with the momentum a little. Obviously, the start of the third set was important and he managed it better. His first service game is hooked but he gets through it. It comes down to details but when faced with players like that, as soon as they get ahead, they become hard to maneuver. But it remains positive. I will have time to rewatch the match cold and learn from it.
How would you define the gap with those who are the very best, now that you have played a few of them? Is the difference more in the mind than in the racket?
I think yes. Tennis-wise, today (Saturday), there wasn’t a huge gap. Afterwards, he remains a very good player who has had very good results. Above all, it is regular. But his great strength is mental. Of course the top 10 is very far away at the moment, but it’s nice to see that I can compete in a match. That means that the level is there. But the top 10, they display this level all year round and they are even capable of raising it against the best. That’s the biggest difference with them, yes.
It will still be a positive experience, right? It was also your first second round in Masters 1000, it’s a new stage.
Yes. Having good matches against players like that is always positive. Even if I had taken two bubbles, there would have been some positives to come out of (laughing). I will learn from this match to move forward. A match like that keeps you on track. And yes, it was the first time that I advanced in a final table. Afterwards, I have already won three Grand Slam matches, which still remains the benchmark. It’s a new step, like coming to the United States for the first time to play Indian Wells and Miami. Playing the best tournaments in the world is what I love to do, so I was very happy to be here. »
