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BNP PARIBAS MASTERSNovember 2, 2012Gilles SimonPARIS, FRANCE G. SIMON/T. Berdych THE MODERATOR: Questions in French. Q. Congratulations. Often when you're on the court we feel you're playing a very intelligent tennis, that you're very calm, and you did that today a lot with Berdych and it paid off. GILLES SIMON: Yes, I was able to remain very focused on my match. Tomas is a player I know well. He has many weapons in his game, but in the end he has trouble doing a winner against me because he hits hard all the time, and I'm able to use that ball to control the game from the baseline. I had good feelings today, and I made very few unforced errors. So he had to do the work and fight a lot to make a point. I was very consistent during the whole match. Q. How did you feel today? Because on your second serve when you were trying to kick it, you had little problems? GILLES SIMON: Well, many things were bothering me today, but I must say that playing Tomas suited me today rather than a player who played with more rhythm, because I was able to use all the strength I had in my game, counterattacking, the rhythm, making him work hard from the baseline. My first serve was not fast enough, but I hope it's going to improve for tomorrow. Q. And you were also very calm. You don't talk on the court anymore. GILLES SIMON: I'm trying, but it is also easier to do that when I'm winning. He is top 6 in the world. If I'm winning 6‑4, 6‑4, I have no real reason to get cross on the court. I think I did better than last week. Last week I could have broken my racquets. So I believe now I can stay calm on the court. Q. The fact that you don't give any rhythm to your opponent, is it a tactical decision, or is it because you have physical difficulties? GILLES SIMON: At some moments I would have liked to hit a bit harder, but I couldn't do it today. Anyway, this was not what I had to do today. I was not going to beat Tomas by hitting harder than he does. But I know that if I make him work for it, and I play low balls, I will have a chance. We played each other a number of times now, and I beat him several times. He improved a lot, of course, during the past three years. He has a higher ranking now. He played three excellent seasons. But I know when I play him that I have some weapons that can bother him, and I did well today. But of course I can't play that kind of match every day. I made very few mistakes, and every time I tried to make him run, I was able to do it, so this was a particularly good match. Q. You have no coach right now. Does that change something when you prepare a match? How do you feel with that? GILLES SIMON: It changes because tactics were always important for me, so what is changing is now I have only my own opinion when I go on the court. But this is what I wanted. I think what I'm trying to do is right if it works out okay. If it doesn't, well, I know it's my mistake. I think I would like to keep working like this for a while, and I will be able to see if I'm right or wrong. Q. You had a day's rest yesterday. I guess it was profitable, so physically you feel better? GILLES SIMON: Well, yeah. It's improved. I hope tomorrow I'll have no problem anymore at all. It's going to be a tough match, but I feel pretty good, and, as I said before, I really want to play 100% and do everything I need to do for winning that match. If I win, it's going to be fabulous, but if I lose, it's going to be easier to accept. Q. It's new for you to have good results and shine in France. How does that feel? GILLES SIMON: New, I don't know. Maybe in this tournament, yes, but I won in Marseilles or Metz. Q. I meant in Paris. GILLES SIMON: Well, it's true that in the French Open I had difficulties, so in the French Open at some stage you have to play very highly ranked players. I'm happy to play well here this year, because when I was young I grew up nearby and I came to see that tournament and it's a very special tournament to me. I always wanted to do well here. Until today, I always played awfully bad when I came here, so I'm trying to enjoy this year in Paris. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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