ROLAND GARROS

June 7, 2025

Guy Sasson

Press Conference

G. SASSON/N. Vink

6-4, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Guy, congratulations for today. How special was it to defend the title and to get it once again?

GUY SASSON: First of all, thank you very much. It was very difficult. I think that, you know, winning the first time was very difficult, but this time it was -- I mean, to defend it with the pressure of defending a title and not able to perform in the earlier matches the way I wanted to, it was very difficult.

But I think that at the end, at the last game, I was able to pull it off. I felt good today, and it was not easy. I had to take some medication to feel better.

I'm glad that it end up the way it did.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. I was going to ask you about your, I suppose, the sustained battles through the week, and you just touched on not feeling at your best. Can you elaborate what was going on through the week and why you didn't quite fire initially before delivering today?

GUY SASSON: Yeah, I think early this week I think I catched a virus, so I wasn't feeling good. I was feeling a bit weak, but you know, once you get the opportunity to be here in this facility, in this huge Grand Slam, this is something that, you know -- I don't want to say once in a lifetime, because I want to be here next year, but it's such a big event, and it means so much to me, to my family, and the whole wheelchair tennis.

You've got to be here, and you've got to perform. Even though I felt not in my best, I knew that at the end of the day I have to fight and to win it, and I'm glad that I was able to do it.

Q. Breaking through, beating Sam in the semifinals and then Niels in the final, they've been the two top guys in your category largely, what does it take to sort of break through them? And can you talk about how dominant they've been and, yeah, what sort of effort it took to force your way up to the top here?

GUY SASSON: You know, they are the top players in our category, and to win a title, especially a big title like this one, you have to beat both of them at the same tournament, and it's not easy.

The only time I was able to do it was here last year in Roland Garros in the opposite order. I faced Niels in the semi and Sam at the finals. It was also an epic final last year.

It means so much to be able to win those two matches in a row, because it takes a lot of effort physically but mainly mentally. They are very good players. They're different. You have to adjust. You know that they will come after you if you won't perform.

You know, at the end of the day, I knew that if I want this title and I want to defend it, I have to win those two matches, and I'm glad that I was able to do it.

Q. I think Niels, since you met last year, I think he had won the next four matches against you. I could stand corrected, but certainly the recent matches. How do you turn that on its head? And how do you approach that when you go in against him today?

GUY SASSON: You know, I don't really look at it as, you know, I lost the last four matches and he's way better than me and he's going to dominate the game.

I know he's a very good player, but I know my skills and I know my abilities, and I know that each match can go in a different way. I know that in a certain day, in a certain match, I definitely can win.

It's not going to be easy. I have to admit, he's a better player than me, but still, I know that when I step into a match, doesn't matter if it's him or Sam, I know I can win.

So I had no doubts, you know. Before I stepped on court today, you know, I keep seeing some videos before I go on, some motivation videos, and one of them said, "No doubts," "Have no doubts." It was in my mind all the time, and I'm glad that I didn't have any (smiling).

Q. Is the second time sweeter? How do you celebrate this one?

GUY SASSON: Well, there is a special restaurant here in Paris that last year when I won, we went and celebrate over there, and we're going to go there tonight, as well, to celebrate, to drink.

Where is my coach (laughing)? He's going to get drunk today (laughing), yeah.

We're going to celebrate. We're going to have a good time. Unfortunately, my wife, my kids are not here, but I know that they will celebrate with me when I get back home.

Q. Just one last one before you go and celebrate, the trophies, do they have a pride of place? What do they do at home? How do you feature those special trophies like that?

GUY SASSON: So I have, like, an office room in my house, and there is like a special stand that I keep not all the trophies, just the most important trophies.

And the problem is that, you know, my kids, they're young. They come into the office. They touch everything. They know that this one, they cannot touch (smiling).