ROLAND GARROS

June 7, 2024

Maximilian Taucher

Press Conference

M. TAUCHER/I. Van Rijt

2-6, 6-4, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations on winning your first Grand Slam title here at Roland Garros. Can you share with us how much does it mean to you?

MAXIMILIAN TAUCHER: Yeah, I mean, it's incredible. It's my favorite tournament because it's on clay. The clay court is my favorite court. Yeah, for me it's a dream to win this tournament.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. It was a very complicated match, very tight until the end. How did you manage? How did you handle to conclude this match?

MAXIMILIAN TAUCHER: I stay positive and push me and say, I can do this, come on, and something like that, yeah.

Q. Just following on from my colleague's question, what's going through your mind in these moments in the match when you are a set down, and what are you telling yourself to find this fighting spirit or to stay focused and to pull off a comeback like you did today?

MAXIMILIAN TAUCHER: I switched the tactic a little bit to only concentrate to the ball. Yeah, what I say, I concentrate only to the ball and say to me, I can do this, I can do this, and stay positive and forget all what happened before.

Q. Can you talk about what you learned from the US Open experiences that you had over the two years before and how much you have developed as a player?

MAXIMILIAN TAUCHER: Yeah, US Open is also a great tournament. It was also very, very good. I was two times in the semifinal, double and single. Yeah, this time I win.

Q. What does it mean to you that Grand Slam tournaments are now organizing juniors tournament? There was US Open last year and now Roland Garros. What does it mean to you?

MAXIMILIAN TAUCHER: Yeah, it's incredible because the Grand Slam is the biggest tournament in the world, and it's incredible that he do the tournament for juniors as well, yeah.

Q. I just want to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell me who is one of your idol in tennis? I don't know what type of music you like to listen to before you get into the court, or what's your favorite food? Can you tell me what you like?

MAXIMILIAN TAUCHER: My favorite food is steak. Before the match I listen pop music, radio music to push me up. What --

Q. Favorite player.

MAXIMILIAN TAUCHER: My favorite player. My idol is Rafael Nadal because he fights on every ball. He win this tournament 14 times, and that's incredible.

Then Dominic Thiem. It's an Austrian tennis.

In wheelchair tennis I like very much Gustavo Fernández. He has a little bit the same as me. He fight on every ball, as Rafael Nadal, and give never up. Yeah, that's what I like on these players.

And, of course, idols are all international tennis wheelchair player from Austria. That's also my idols, yeah.

Q. You mentioned Gustavo. He's playing the men's wheelchair final tomorrow. He has a chance to win his first slam since 2019. Will you go watch him play and give him some support?

MAXIMILIAN TAUCHER: Yeah. I mean, it's very cool to watch the match to wheelchair because I learn so much from these guys. Yeah, I try to watch it.

Q. You are 16. You are coming through with your first majors tournament title. How high do you think you can go? Do you see yourself playing in Court Philippe-Chatrier later in your career? What's next for you?

MAXIMILIAN TAUCHER: You mean the next tournament?

Q. No, in terms of how high you expect your career to go. Do you see yourself going very high?

MAXIMILIAN TAUCHER: Yeah, I mean, I will go to the top 10 in wheelchair tennis, and my biggest dream is to the No. 1 of the world in men's wheelchair tennis.

My next big step is US Open and maybe the Paralympics 2028 in Los Angeles.