ROLAND GARROS

May 26, 2026

Valentin Vacherot

Press Conference

V. VACHEROT /T. Faurel

6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. How was your foot feeling?

VALENTIN VACHEROT: No, it's just not bad. It's not perfect, but not awful. Just got to take care of it.

Q. Just one other question. I'm curious, one of the big changes from going to the tournaments you were playing last year to these other tournaments is, I would imagine, how big the courts are that you're playing on. Has that changed your game at all and given you more opportunities since there's more room to hit different shots and stay back or push people further back?

VALENTIN VACHEROT: No, I mean, to be honest, in challengers some center courts are really big. No, that doesn't change anything to my game playing on the courts in challenger or on those courts.

I mean, even some ATP tournaments when you play those smaller courts, it's like little boxes. It's really small. So, no, no, it doesn't change anything, no.

Q. Valentin, last year you had a fantastic breakthrough, and since you have established yourself as a top player, I wonder, what do you think, how much of tennis is mental?

VALENTIN VACHEROT: Yeah, that's a good question. I don't know which exact percentage you can give, but I just feel like it's a perfect, like -- it's just divided in three parts: tennis, mental, and physical. In my opinion, each of the three are as important as the other.

As long as you're a good tennis player, at some point maybe the forehand or the backhand don't matter as much as what's happening in your head. If you are a little bit weaker or not as good in some parts of your physical game, that, yeah, you need to get better in some of those parts.

Once your tennis is on point and once your physical ability is on point, then yeah, that's where the mental part gets -- you need to feel that side as much as you can. I guess that's a little bit what happened with me, because yeah, maybe I got better, of course, by now playing much better guys.

I think the best practices are matches, but the physical part, I already had it. Yeah, I just need to put everything together. Yeah, probably didn't expect to take me as quick as it did in the top 20, but now I'm here. That's where I belong.

Q. I was just wondering, Valentin, how do you find an atmosphere like you get here, especially with the local support that you will have as somebody from the area and playing a French guy today? Do you prefer playing in a big atmosphere? Does that bring out the best in you?

VALENTIN VACHEROT: Today was tough, of course, because I mean, I probably didn't have many people rooting for me. Let's say that I got the crowd a little bit calmer for the first two sets.

Then when they saw that Thomas was playing better and getting a bit more through me, they really pushed him to get that third set. They pushed him all of the fourth set. It was, yeah, an unreal atmosphere for him.

Me, I just did a good job just staying fully focused on me. At the end of the day, even if it's not for you, I mean, you have more fun in those kind of atmosphere than just having no one around, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. We know that with the heat, the balls are faster. Does it require a lot of effort from you to adapt to those conditions? And, generally speaking, do you think there could be any surprises in the tournament because of the heat?

VALENTIN VACHEROT: I think the heat makes a difference when it comes to the conditions. Some are not used to such a hot May. It's never been that hot in the French Open.

But the conditions on the No. 14 were very particular. The balls were going quite fast in the corners, and they're bouncing high. The balls are quite hard.

So we are playing in fast conditions, and some benefit from it, that's for sure.

Q. Valentin, your breakthrough has been absolutely unbelievable. Do you take offense if I say that you're a normal kind of champion? You're close to your family, to your fans, and you're still down on earth, even though you've experienced absolutely amazing moments.

VALENTIN VACHEROT: It's up to others to say so, but I'm trying to be true to myself. It has actually worked with what I've experienced last year.

It was absolutely amazing, and I really get back to how I was feeling and what was happening in my head over there. I'm trying to copy what happened there in most of my games this year. It is not going badly, so I'll try to keep doing that.

Q. You're back on Court No. 14 two years after your amazing qualifications with very tense games. How does it feel being back on that court? Is it different from two years ago?

VALENTIN VACHEROT: Yes, a lot has happened since. When I was playing Gabriel, it was the first game of my career in Grand Slam qualification rounds. All of my tension and stress I remember in this particular game were through the roof.

I've given my all to this game, and in the second round of the qualifications against Couacaud it was a huge fight as well, because we've played a wonderful game together.

Today it is very different, because a lot has happened over the last two years. Less stress and tension, and I really want to be able to play well.

Q. Netflix is going to release a documentary on Rafa Nadal saying that he would hurt every day he was playing tennis. Is it a normal part of a tennis player career feeling off but going to play anyway?

VALENTIN VACHEROT: I can't speak for him, but as far as I'm concerned, I'm not injured that often. The thing is when I am actually injured, it is quite a big one.

Very rarely do I have a small pain or inconvenience that goes after a week. So I've always worked on all of this, and I'm very lucky that I'm not injured that often.

I pay a lot of attention to the way I eat, to nutrition, and all of this helps me not being in pain, but when pain does arise, I need to pay a lot of attention.

Q. You were quite emotional at the end, and do you think you will be fit for your next game?

VALENTIN VACHEROT: My emotions had nothing to do with stress, and coming back on earth, I was more moved that I had won that game. I'm very proud for reasons my team know about.