INTERNAZIONALI BNL D'ITALIA

May 15, 2022

Ons Jabeur

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/O. Jabeur

6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Incredible two weeks for you. How are you feeling right now?

ONS JABEUR: Actually feeling good. Positive three weeks for me. Pretty happy with the level I played with. I will just be positive with myself and try to recover on time for the French Open, my main goal, to be honest with you.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Can you talk through the match. What was it that she was doing today that made it difficult for you? Then if you could also talk about the 4-2 game, all the break points.

ONS JABEUR: Well, I think it was more me. I didn't feel like I was more aggressive. I should have went more for more shots. I should have let go more my hands.

She plays really well. She plays really aggressive, for sure. Her ball is much different from other players. I feel I should have believed more that I can win this match.

The 4-2 game was I think the game of the match, to be honest with you. I felt like I was trying my best to make her visit all the corners of the court, but she was already ready for that. Maybe I should have went more aggressively in few shots.

But yeah, I feel like I did my best today. Didn't play my best tennis, for sure. But I'm pretty happy with the past three weeks. I'm just going to keep positive for now and focus on the French Open.

A lot of things to learn from this match, obviously. Pretty glad with the week I had here in Rome. Iga is the No. 1 for a reason. She's really the leader here on tour. I personally have a lot to learn from her.

Let's see. Hopefully we'll have another match soon.

Q. You said you wish you sort of believed more you could win in that answer. Where did the doubt come from? Was it just that Iga has been so dominant? Where was the lack of belief originating?

ONS JABEUR: I don't know. It's two different sentence for me.

I didn't really doubt myself, but I should have believed more. It changes for me (smiling). I should have believed, I should have went for more shots, I should have been looser in my hands.

I know physically didn't help me much. I tried to keep positive. I tried to repeat some words in my head that I can do it, that I can do it. I was keeping saying that to myself the whole match.

There is a few points that maybe if I had those points, it would have changed the scenario of the game. But, I mean, she played unbelievable in the important points. That's what makes Iga Iga, you know.

Q. Do you think to play the game you have is more difficult mentally than physically compared to the other players? They maybe just have one option.

ONS JABEUR: My game, I see it more fun, like more different from other players. I don't see it the physical way. I actually see it more physical for the other players, not me.

Yeah, definitely if I need to change the rhythm. If I need to make the players run, I'll have to be ready physically. I feel like I improve much better than before. I am doing better in that.

But I'm ready for this kind of game. I like to change up the rhythm. Probably I will have to improve more in my forehands, my backhands, try to really be a baseliner player.

For the rest of it, I'm pretty happy. I like the way I changed up the rhythm.

Q. I think you said Iga's ball is different.

ONS JABEUR: Yep.

Q. Can you explain how it's different.

ONS JABEUR: More the forehand, I got to say. Maybe the spin of the ball was little bit tougher. Just I think it really suits well the clay court. I needed to adapt more maybe to her shots because it was different.

Honestly, the last few matches I had against Dash and Maria was more spin. It wasn't as bad as that. But, yeah, definitely she has an aggressive game. That really helps her get more free points.

Q. You said that you'd like to learn from her. What's the main thing that she does well now that you would like to take over?

ONS JABEUR: There is a lot of things that she's doing great. To be honest with you, I try to learn from each player on tour. They all have something different from me. I want to treat them not just enemies, but more like they guide me to make me better.

Iga, mentally she was really good. She was always aggressive, always there. No matter what the score is, always going forward, putting pressure on the other player. That I think is very important. No matter what the score is, you always have to go forward.

I noticed so many players with more experience, they play really well on the important points. I think that's what makes the difference between players in the top 10 and players from top 100.

Q. You'll go into Roland Garros as a shortlist favorite, given your performances the last couple weeks, and even before that. What will you have learned or what do you take from Madrid and Rome to Roland Garros to deal with a different status? You came into Rome as a favorite as well.

ONS JABEUR: Well, for myself, it helps me a lot confident-wise, expectation-wise. It helps me be tougher with myself. I need to be in the second week. I need to go above the other results I did in Grand Slams. Maybe other players, how they will look at me. Oh, shit, I play Ons. I like them to say that (smiling).

I enjoy Roland Garros a lot. I have a great memories with that Grand Slam. Honestly I didn't think about being the favorite to go there and people expecting me to do things. But it's for sure a good pressure for me. I hope I will be ready for it.

For now I'll throw my racquets for two days, then take them back. Yeah, I will be ready mentally, physically for the tournament, for sure.

Q. Obviously you're a competitor and you want to win. Does any part of you recognize how good Iga has been and how she has all these dominant wins in finals especially? Do you give yourself any sort of grace saying she's just too good sometimes?

ONS JABEUR: Yeah, that's why I'm not crying right now in front of you.

Yeah, I recognize she played really well. Like the good thing I know is I tried my best today. Like I said, maybe I didn't play my best tennis, but Iga can make you be that kind of player on the court.

I feel like I prefer to lose a final in a 1000 than a final in a Grand Slam. So I take that a positive thing. I'm staying positive for the future. I don't want to ruin the last three weeks, like, with this match. Definitely keeping it positive.

Iga is Iga. She deserves to be here. She deserves to win matches like that. I will definitely learn a lot from this match.

Q. What were you thinking on the final break point where you threw everything at her and she still came up with everything, including the final volley dropshot?

ONS JABEUR: I mean, it was actually a difficult three or four points. This game was crazy. Then when she double-faulted at deuce, I was like, Why didn't she do that a point before or two point before (smiling)?

I mean, I did everything that I can. I made her visit all the corners of the court. I know that Iga plays much better when you open the court, so maybe I should have stayed more in the middle and let her lose the point. I don't know. Definitely I did my best. The thing is, I bring many more shots in that point. She deserved to win, for sure.

Parachute, I crashed, man (laughter).

Q. What can you do?

ONS JABEUR: I think she killed me before the plane crashed, man.

Thanks, guys. See you in Paris.