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ROLEX PARIS MASTERS

November 3, 2017

Julien Benneteau

Paris, France

J. BENNETEAU/M. Cilic

7-6, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French, please.

Q. Is that stadium so good? I mean, can you tell us how you feel on that court?
JULIEN BENNETEAU: Well, I wanted to enjoy it and take advantage of it. It's a crazy stadium. And there's a lot of noise and we feel the crowd is very close. It's great, fantastic to play in a stadium like that with the crowd here.

It's one of the most beautiful stadium in France or in Europe, and having the opportunities of playing in a tournament like this is magic. Very strong, strong emotions, and many vibrations.

Q. What will be the significance of this victory in your career? Well, of course, your career is not over yet. But what ranking would you give it?
JULIEN BENNETEAU: I believe that win ranks quite high in everything I achieved in my career. When it's over, we'll see what will be the final ranking. It's a bit early to say. But, of course, individually, I believe it's my most beautiful emotion ever.

Q. Can you talk also about your tennis feelings between yesterday and today?
JULIEN BENNETEAU: Yesterday was enormous. It was fantastic. I had good feelings, the way I hit the ball, everything. Today was good tennis-wise I mean.

But his game was bothering me a lot more, and mainly his forehand. His forehand was tough. A lot more than I thought. On his backhand he was not as consistent. But still, sometimes on his backhand he was hitting it long and hard and it was tough for me to bring it back. And I had to be careful when returning that shot because he was then aiming at my forehand on the other side of the court. It was dangerous.

So between the tactics I had to adapt to and being smart in certain moments of the match and also on my serve, I had to choose carefully where I was serving. There was also the mental and physical aspects.

So all this brought together is maybe my most accomplished match.

Q. Are you still hungry for victory now?
JULIEN BENNETEAU: Of course. As I said yesterday, if I was thinking about anything else than tomorrow's match, I would be totally stupid. So I'll try not to be stupid and I'll do everything I can to be really ready for tomorrow.

Q. In the beginning of the week, you said it was very tough to beat the best players this year. And here, obviously, you just find something. You were able to beat three, four players that are better ranked than you are. What happened?
JULIEN BENNETEAU: I already beat players that have a better ranking than myself. Well, Julien knew all about the stats. But like I did here, this week I never did that before.

I mean, how is Jo? Top 15, 16? Well, let's say three players in a row top 15 as this week, I have never done before.

Sincerely, since the US Open, every week I played something good happened. I lost first round against Goffin in singles in the US Open. But I played well in doubles up to the quarter. In Metz I lost to Almagro. He played 20 aces. It was 7-6, 7-6. But I won the doubles. French Open I played good matches and so on and so on until Basel.

And this consistency I had during the past two or three months brought me here where I am confident. I'm happy. I know it's the last tournament. So the accumulation of confidence helps me producing one of my best tennis this week.

Q. I don't know if you saw Clement's tweet, but maybe you tweeted too quickly last Sunday?
JULIEN BENNETEAU: I saw it, but it's too early. It's not the time for that. It's not now.

Loic Courteau is calling me. (Answers phone.)

I'm asked if I'll obtain some extra points for the Davis Cup.

Q. I wanted to know when you made this decision of stopping in 2018, why? And also if your level of tennis continues rising like that, are you going to change your decision?
JULIEN BENNETEAU: The last two years, I had a tough time. I didn't have any satisfactions like these recent ones. On the contrary, every week was frustrating, disappointing. That was overwhelming a lot more than joy. Then there was Wimbledon and the fact that I was selected for Davis Cup in March.

So then I thought everything I did was worthwhile. So after, when I was having tough times in challenges when I was playing bad matches, what is really motivated is Grand Slams, and I only won one match there in Wimbledon last year. I sometimes had difficult draws.

But still, at my age, it's difficult to keep going. And in the end, I also want to be more at home, see my wife, my son.

With tennis, you have to be on the road all year-round if you want to have good results. It's very demanding. You have to make a lot of investments and then get truly involved, and I don't like to do things halfway.

I don't want not to be competitive. Of course, I didn't see the rankings. I don't know exactly what my new ranking will be, but I believe I will have an incredible luxury, which means I can choose when I want to stop, because I will be in the final draw.

Even if I don't play much and lose all my points, can I still be in the main draw in Wimbledon or else you ask for a wildcard for me?

So playing until Wimbledon, playing the last time in the French Open, hoping I will not get injured, at 36 years old, I couldn't dream anything better.

Of course, during the past two years I tried hard. I made all the efforts. I was working with the trainer on my abductors, and he told me in the French Open, You inspired everybody, especially when we see what you're achieving now. So I said, Of course, I deserve what is happening.

I'll sort of take stock in December and decide on a good calendar for 2018 according to what I want and also how I can be competitive.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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