ROLAND GARROS

May 27, 2026

Quentin Halys

Press Conference

Q. HALYS/U. Humbert

6-4, 7-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. Congrats. A clinical, realistic match from beginning to end. You served well, you did everything well.

QUENTIN HALYS: Yes, it was not necessarily the game I like to play, but I knew if I were to win, I had to do things a little bit differently. So I tried to play high. I tried to play slowly.

And I think in terms of pace, he's one of the best, and he's already proved in the past that he's able to beat the best, so I had to bring something different to the court today, and I think that's what I managed to do. I was very good when it was important.

Q. Physically speaking, how fresh are you after this three-hour match? Are you still fresh?

QUENTIN HALYS: Yes, I was feeling good. Even if I had to play a fourth set, I felt good. So a little bit nervous at the end, but that's part of a Grand Slam match. It was hot today, but we were lucky enough to have a bit of shade in the final hour.

No, I feel good. Tomorrow I'm going to play the doubles, and the more we go on, the more difficult the matches will be. But I trained for it, so I feel good.

Q. You're an attacker. Are these very hot conditions good for you? Because people say it's more slippery, it slides more, when you are taller it can make things more difficult.

QUENTIN HALYS: Well, for me, it helps me. Sometimes it's a little bit like playing in altitude, because players are losing control. It's difficult. We don't see any players sending close balls back.

So it is fast, and I like that, but it requires adjustments. You know, we saw Ugo go way back to send the ball back, which is not often the case because it bounces so high that it's difficult to get in on the ball early, so it needs adjustments. So with my serve and my forehand, it gives me quite an advantage.

Q. We remember the tremendous comeback last year with Rune in the third round. Did you prepare things differently compared to last year?

QUENTIN HALYS: Differently, I don't know, but I'm going to use that experience to try to better manage my match. No doubt I was quite frustrated in that match, because I didn't necessarily play well in the important moments, which I did today.

I think that what I did last year is already useful to me, and I hope I will continue to build on that against the next opponent. No doubt Zverev.

But, you know, the fact that I know I'm able to do it, he's an incredible player on clay court, and we're going to prepare the match, but all of the small mistakes I made last year, I'm going to try to get rid of them and to play my very best tennis.

Q. How do you feel coming into Roland Garros? You seem to feel quite good coming into these Grand Slams now.

QUENTIN HALYS: Well, it's always special here. We're playing at home and we want to play well. So we can't say there is no stress, that's not true, but I can manage it better, I know the place, I know what I have to do. I think that I can better absorb the positive energy of the crowd and turn it into something great.

With regard to Roland, I really manage to enjoy it now, and I think you can see this on the court and the way I play. Before, I was too nervous, I wanted to do things too well, and of course that disserved me in the past.

Now when I'm on the court I just enjoy it, and I think you can feel it in my results and in my game.

Q. We talked about preparation. How did you prepare for Roland Garros? What do you do differently from the rest of the year?

QUENTIN HALYS: It's very difficult for a player of my ranking to prepare a Grand Slam, because we're very dependent on the draw. So if I played Sinner in the first round or Bellucci, without, you know, lacking respect, it wouldn't be the same tournament.

It's very difficult. We try to spend some time in the court, because we know that the matches can last for a long time. But there is also the rest of the season to try and come up in the ranking. I was in the challengers two weeks ago in Bordeaux, so we must not forget what's happening around Roland.

But at my level, I can't make a mountain out of Roland Garros, because I can't come into the tournament to say I'm going to go through to the end and win. That's not true. But however, I must come along in the best condition with a lot of confidence that I went to get in Bordeaux, for example, but for me that's the best preparation and to try and go as far as I can in this Roland Garros, and now there is a third match, so it's cool.

Q. It's easy to say afterwards, but do you have the impression that your programing choices, not playing Rome, playing in Bordeaux, has affected Roland Garros?

QUENTIN HALYS: Yes, I think that that is my mistake after Miami to have moved on to the clay very quickly and having played the first tournaments on clay afterwards. That's why I didn't give a good performance, didn't have a very good game either. So it was a strong choice. It was not easy to decide I'm not going to Rome, but it was necessary.

I think my two tournaments, the 2000s in Bordeaux, and I'm in the third round here, it proves I have made mistakes in my programming, but I have managed to understand them quickly. It's always easy when the results are good, but I was already feeling good on the court. And you get through, that's one thing, but I was feeling at least good and prepared to come here.

Q. If you have to play against Zverev, how would you see this match? Does it excite you?

QUENTIN HALYS: I was lucky enough to play against him not long ago in Miami. And it was not a very good match to look, because it was 7-6, 7-6 and no break. So it's one of the very best players in the world and potential winner of this tournament.

But I know that I have my card to play. I know my serve will give him trouble, and he also has a few weaknesses that I can tap into, so I will have to play a very good match if I'm to play against him. But that match in Miami one-and-a-half months ago, I will use, and with the French crowd and the conditions that I like, once again, I have absolutely nothing to lose, so it's up to me to play my very best game and to try and put him in trouble.