ROLAND GARROS

June 1, 2026

Anastasia Potapova

Press Conference

A. KALINSKAYA/A. Potapova

6-4, 2-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Obviously not the result you would hope for today, but can you look back at Roland Garros and the whole season overall? You had very good results. Can you look at the positives?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: Of course. I mean, I'm here only being very positive. Well, of course, I feel sad that I lost today, but at the same time, I left everything there. I did everything I could, so I'm leaving French Open with my head high, so...

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Well done. Great season up to this point. I just wanted to ask, it felt like a match where in the final set anyway, whoever was in front, the other player would then raise their level. Can you talk a little bit about that, sort of the psychology of being ahead and being behind and kind of how that played out?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: Yeah, I think it was very mental match for both. Obviously seems like for both of us it's easier to play when you're loose, because you kind of relax your body, and you just kind of let it go, and you don't think about it.

But, yeah, I mean, I think we both were fighting very hard, and we both actually wanted to win, but unfortunately, it's only one winner.

Yeah, she played great. She held her nerves better than me in some moments. So, yeah, I know what I need to work on to make sure it's not going to happen again.

Q. I was going to ask that. How hard is that to kind of change that kind of mentality of when you are ahead, not getting tight, or whatever it is?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: It's not easy, but I don't think anything is easy to change or to work on. So, yeah, it's just how bad you want it, and I do want it. So we will try to make sure with my team, we will do our best that improve this part.

Q. I'm sure the first set is one that you really wanted back given that you had that lead at 4-1. What happened that led to her taking five straight games in your perspective?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: Yeah, I mean, if I can look back now, I felt I was fully in kind of control in the first set. Then she played two very good games where she just probably relaxed and started to swing forehands and backhands, and the ball was going so hard.

From that point, after those two games, I got tense. A little bit, my game started to little bit fall apart. Yeah, I mean, I think if I could won the first set, maybe it would be easier for me afterwards, but yeah, I mean, I'm here not to talk about what could be and what could not be.

Here I am. I lost, and I need to try to improve.

Q. Obviously you've been on tour for a while, but comprehensively this whole clay court season, do you think that it's been the best that you've ever played in your career?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: I think it's very obvious, and I think it's just in general good for anyone on tour who would do the same. So, yeah, of course, it's one of the best.

Of course, it gives me a lot of motivation for future to not stop, to keep on working, and yeah, just to try to do the same maybe on grass or on the hard court swings.

Q. Do you think today was the most extreme example you've been involved in of that kind of an up-and-down match of leads coming and going?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: Yeah, I think it was very extreme. I think you saw it yourself. So, yeah, I mean, I think I said everything, because there is nothing to add.

Yes, it was mental. Yes, it was not easy for both, but at some parts she did it better.