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ROLAND GARROS

May 30, 2018

Julien Benneteau

Paris, France

J. BENNETEAU/T. Berdych

2-6, 7-6, 6-2, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. To what extent did the change in conditions between last night and this morning help you?
JULIEN BENNETEAU: Enormously, because yesterday it was really slow, especially against people like my opponent who are so powerful. I need to have quicker conditions, at least not too slow for my game to be effective.

For me, it was really rough, and yesterday I missed a lot of opportunities. I never managed to materialize them, and my opponent was able to seize each opportunity. Nothing was working out for me.

And at the beginning of the second, what I told myself was just keep on it, no break, it might not end tonight, and you'll just see.

And after that, when we went to the locker room, I was a bit more relaxed because yesterday I was tense. When you're tense, you're not effective. You don't feel physically that in shape and well.

And last night, after the set and a half, I felt a bit more relaxed. I thought, Okay, well, there's no break in the second. We can still have two-and-a-half sets tomorrow, and that's what happened today. So I must say it was good for me.

Q. Knowing that you're very dependent on the draw, what was the objective that you had set yourself, if any?
JULIEN BENNETEAU: Well, to win a match. This is what I set myself as objective for the Grand Slam this year. Before Australia, since I was alone with my wife there, I said, If I win a match -- I told her, if I win a match, you'll have done a good job.

And here in the French Open, I hadn't won since 2013. So at my age, with five sets and three winning, and my ranking, because I'm so dependent on the draw, all you can do is say that you're happy if you win a match. It's not because I managed to do it that I'm going to stop here and that I'm not going to try to win the next, even though it is going to be difficult.

For my last French Open, it's great to get to know the feeling of an emotion and the joy of a victory, of a win here.

Q. You could have had a Mahut-Benneteau second round. Do you regret it? Do you feel that the match was a bit strange?
JULIEN BENNETEAU: Well, I don't really know. It would have been a strange match, for sure, a bit special.

But it's not going to happen. I told myself when I saw the draw, well, we never played together in a Grand Slam throughout our career. It will have to happen once.

And yesterday before getting on to the court, I saw the beginning of his match, and I told people since the beginning was very important, I told people in the locker room when I was watching it, We still need two Grand Slams to play together. So we'll see.

Q. The tears that you had, why did that happen?
JULIEN BENNETEAU: Well, I already said I didn't know whether it would happen at the beginning of the match or going on to the court, getting out of the locker room. Not really. Yesterday there was a lot of tension. The day was very long on my court. Long matches were played. There were rain delays, and all this excitement changed into tension.

Today, I must say, I didn't feel that emotion. The only idea I had with my score was to continue with my game plan. And on the last game, the first two points were very important, and when I'm at 30-0, I realized if my first serve is good just after that, that's where I feel very moved.

And I said, I have always said, as a Frenchman, to win a match at the French Open is something very special that you don't feel elsewhere on the circuit. There is something magic when you play a Grand Slam tournament at home.

For us, it's not only a place where a tournament is held. I slept here. I have come here since I was 10 or 12. At the time you could go and sit on the stands of the central court, and you just dream of playing on that court. And it represents something very special for us, with the audience, with the public, with the atmosphere.

So so every time you win a match here, it's an overwhelming feeling of happiness.

Q. So the end for you will be the US Open, or would you also play in Bercy?
JULIEN BENNETEAU: No, I won't play in Bercy. US Open.

I always said that the only thing that could make me continue a bit longer is if there are a lot of injuries and withdrawals and if Yannick needs me for the Davis Cup I will prolong my career for a few months. But otherwise, the US Open will be my last tournament.

Q. What role did the public play today?
JULIEN BENNETEAU: Well, I must say that the public has had a much more determining role in other matches than today. There were a lot of kids, because today is Wednesday, but during the tiebreak in the tense moments, it can help.

But either it helps you to keep going at it or when there are thousands of people who are yelling when your opponent has made an error or fault, it can give you energy.

But obviously it is helpful, and it helps you. But Jeremy must have said if it wasn't on the central of Roland Garros, he would have lost it, because when you feel you're putting your opponent in a difficult position on your serve, you feel that the public is there behind you, and that's just because you're a local and you're playing at home.

Q. The Court No. 1 that should be destroyed, is it a court that you will regret?
JULIEN BENNETEAU: Well, yes. There is always a nostalgia, but the Court No. 1 has a long history here. Therefore, there is a special atmosphere in it.

But obviously the venue needs to grow and needs to be renovated, and when you look at the models, I think that the venue will be absolutely amazing. Although it won't have any history, history will build it up as the years go on.

And there will be the indoor court, as well. I think that things are shaping up. The venue looks more beautiful. And as the years go by, it will become more lively as the Village today. It may look a bit impersonal, but when you go in it, it is really very lively. And this is inevitable. You have to manage to do what Wimbledon did to make the historical part live together with the new one.

Q. You applied as captain of Fed Cup. What motivated your choice?
JULIEN BENNETEAU: Well, I did talk at length with Kristina and Pauline and Alize in Madrid. Kristina in Madrid or Rome, I don't remember. I spoke to them over the phone during the week in Madrid, I explained the reasons why, my motivations, which is very important for them.

And already last year we were joking about it and thinking about it, and I was very close to applying up until Yannick decided to continue and the fact that I was still playing made it impossible. And Yannick, anyhow, applied for another year.

And I saw two events in Mouilleron and Aix-en-Provence. They were difficult matches for the girls. I thought they had been wonderful in their mindset on the court. The fact that Kiki was able to win with Amandine Hesse was extraordinary, given their opponents. And I felt very sensitive to the joy that was in that team, and I thought they deserved the attention and that they should have the choice to have a captain.

Before Aix-en-Provence I was in Monte-Carlo. I was in Marseilles and I stopped at their hotel just before the match, and I had a coffee with Lolo. Yannick was there. I just sat with them and the girls came. I didn't want to disturb them, because I know what happens when you're part of a national team.

And I talked with all the staff, and I could feel that there were good vibes. They were cool and healthy, and even though they lost, they can still play a very high-level tennis.

So I thought there really is something to do. According to the mission that the Fed will give to the captain, depending on that mission, I would be happy to help them maybe to win the Fed Cup and ask for and even try for a medal at the games and therefore get good results at the Olympics, as well. That's what happened. That's how it happened.

I called AmÃ©lie before, because I knew that she was also a candidate, and I knew, as we are good friends, we share a lot of things, I just told her that I had that intention and that I didn't want to fight this out with her. I just wanted to offer another option that could be attractive for the girls besides AmÃ©lie.

Q. The only one you didn't talk about was Caroline Garcia.
JULIEN BENNETEAU: Well, I went to see her, and I asked her, I don't know what your position is, given the past few years, and I'm not going to talk about it, but I just wanted to tell you that I'm applying for the position of captain and I wanted you to be informed. And we'll talk about it if ever I'm elected, as I had mentioned this to the other girls, to Caroline and her father. I just wanted to be polite and courteous.

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