QATAR EXXONMOBIL OPEN

February 20, 2024

Richard Gasquet

Press Conference

R. GASQUET/A. Shevchenko

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. How do you feel about your performance today, which is brilliant? And the conditions, which is a little bit dry and windy?

RICHARD GASQUET: Yeah, I'm feeling great. You know, I played a good match. I think I felt confident on the court.

I could play many matches last week in Bahrain, so it was important for me, quite the same conditions, it's Middle East, quite the same ball. Everything was a little bit same, so that's why it's important.

Yeah, I felt great. I know these courts very well. I could win many years ago, so I know exactly the court and I feel good on the court. It was a good match.

Q. I want to ask you about one-handed backhand, because this week there are no one-handed backhand in the ATP ranking history. Of course you are well known with your amazing backhand, so how do you feel about it? Why do you think it happened?

RICHARD GASQUET: Yeah, I know the game now, it has more two-handed backhand. Many players have this shot, you know, very powerful. They play with a lot of power, as I said.

Yeah, I hope in the future many players can go through top 10 with one-handed. I think Dimitrov is not far, Shapovalov, these type of players, they can go to the top 10, and Tsitsipas. Of course it's important for the game, not only two-handed. I think it's more technical, the one-handed backhand. So I hope for the future we can see many of them.

Q. It may be related to the one-handed backhand, but you're also famous for doing the, how should I say, taping, grips, during the changeovers. Is that because of some technical reason or more like to stay calm and...

RICHARD GASQUET: No, it's more because, first of all, I'm sweating a lot. I'm sweating. Maybe I'm one of the most -- I'm sweating so much. I think I'm the worst on the tour to sweat like this. Maybe with, I would say, Nadal, with Rafa. I'm sweating incredible.

So I have to change it every game. Sometimes in US Open or conditions like this, I just come with the racquet and I need to do it.

Maybe, yeah, you know, it's very dry, so I'm not doing every two games. I'm doing a lot, for sure, but not every two games. Maybe it's a little bit mental. I would say it's a combination of mental and the sweat.

Q. In the doubles, there are four players in the top 10 with single-handed backhands. Do you think that says anything?

RICHARD GASQUET: In the doubles?

Q. In the doubles top 10, four players play single-handed backhands.

RICHARD GASQUET: I don't know exactly why. Maybe they are a little bit older. Now in the doubles you can see many players with 35 years old. So with the new generation, you don't see many of them playing with one-handed backhands. The future is more with two and very powerful, very flat.

Yeah, I think it's, as I say, it's important for the game. I hope in the future we can see people playing with one-handed backhand.

Yeah, it's not the game now. I'd say it's more two.