ROLAND GARROS

June 3, 2026

Felix Auger-Aliassime

Press Conference

F. COBOLLI/F. Auger-Aliassime

4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Felix, bad luck today. What do you think made the biggest difference today against Flavio?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Well, he's the better player. Credit to him.

Yeah, I have to improve. That's it.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. You still led 6-4, 3-1. What shifted at this point?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, I missed an important volley. It was a good play, serve and volley. I dumped the volley in the net and then breakpoint. He returned good. I forced the forehand and then break back.

After, yeah, he started getting back into the match, playing a little bit better. So, yeah, I missed an opportunity there if I was more precise in clutch with my service game. But, yeah, that's what turned. But after, he was the better player.

Q. Tough day, Felix. Just talking a bit about all this Italian success, we weren't expecting an Italian in the final after Jannik lost, but for a while there, you had Denis, and the two of you were pushing each other. How important is it when you have a countryman really doing well? Does it just help the entire movement?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: It can, but also, there is no reason for my failure today. Like, it's no -- yeah. At the end of the day, I mean, there's been great players that were by themselves all their career.

I would be very happy. Denis is a good friend, Diallo, all these guys, for their success. But my success and their success are two different stories.

Q. You had seven breakpoints in the third set. Which one were more decisive, in your opinion? You were Love-40, 2-1, and then later when he was up 4-3, you had many chances to go 4-All. You remember after the dropshot that you fell over on the floor and so on? That were good opportunities, great exchange, great rallies after that. Do you think he was more aggressive? You were coming to the net quite a lot.

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, well, the second set is okay. I had a dip. I was playing the right way, but I had a small moment of miss of concentration in the second set where I was playing a very attacking tennis, but I was just not precise.

But then in the third set I thought I was a better player. I made some good adjustments, and I think the forehand miss at Love-40 is huge, looking back, because I was in a really good place. I had the point on my racquet, and I missed the forehand, which is my strength, so that was big.

And then that game, I have to give him credit. 4-3, had some tough rallies. Didn't have the chance. I didn't have the look. I had to stay in the rally, and he just did better than me.

So credit to him. Good serving, also.

Q. With the wind, we thought that he could have been favorite. Then without the wind, indoor, you should have become favorite. That's a bit strange. It went all the other way around. What do you think?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, obviously the first set is not really tennis. You're just trying to manage to put the ball in the court. But it's indoor, but quite slow. You know, slow, heavy, so my serve didn't have an impact. My forehand didn't have an impact. He found better solutions than me.

So that's what happened.

Q. It's probably difficult to reflect on this right now, but it's still a Grand Slam quarterfinal. You're going to be No. 4 in the world on Monday. Can you reflect on this tournament, first part of the season?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, on one end, like, a bigger perspective, I can't complain with my life, but I'm in a place right now with my tennis career that it's tough. You know, I'm a little bit, like, I'm destroyed today a little bit.

You know, it's tough. Like, I usually handle losses pretty well, I have to say. Like, my whole career, I was going back to training with optimism and positivity. Now I feel like I'm not the player I want to be, so today is a difficult day.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. You seem to be very disappointed. Is that because you didn't manage to play the kind of tennis you were looking for today, or was it due to missed opportunities? What is hurting you the most?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: In order to find the right opportunities, you need to play tennis well. Every tournament is an opportunity, and after a disappointing clay season, I tried to do better here.

I won a few matches, but when I look at my clay season overall, I did not quite improve the way that I wanted to or the way that I might have anticipated compared to other seasons on clay.

There are further improvements that are possible for me, but I'm definitely not satisfied with the way things went today.

Q. Earlier on you said that you felt somewhat destroyed by today's defeat. Given where you stand in your career, why do you think this defeat in particular is particularly impactful for you?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: As years go by, I think I'm growing more and more impatient. Now you know me better. I'm 26 this year, and I'm not improving the way that I wish, so that's why I'm not feeling great today.

Q. There were a few controversies during the press conferences with the conditions and the rooftop. The roof was closed at some stage during the match. What did they tell you?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: They said that they were anticipating some rain, and there is absolutely no controversy here.

Following the first set, for example, if it started raining, I would have wondered why that roof would not be closed. So on my end, absolutely no controversy here.

Q. What is your strategy to turn that page with the upcoming grass season? I have a feeling that things are a little harder for you this time around. What do you need?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: I need time, maybe a week, to clear my mind and project myself into the rest of the season and the rest of my career.