Le marathonien Tommy Paul. Pour la deuxième fois de suite, l'Américain s'est qualifié en cinq sets à Roland-Garros. Après Marton Fucsovics, c'est Karen Khachanov qui est tombé face au 12e joueur mondial au bout de l'effort, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(9), 3-6, 6-3. Cette victoire propulse l’Américain, tête de série n°12, en huitièmes de finale du tournoi parisien pour la première fois de sa carrière. Et il y aura clairement un coup à jouer contre Alexei Popyrin dimanche.
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00:00BNP Paribas, partenaire des plus belles histoires de Roland Garros, aux côtés des ramasseurs de balles depuis plus de 50 ans.
00:30Obviously, it's never super easy to serve out matches, but he made it difficult and ended up, I guess, kind of figuring it out there at the end.
00:45Hey, Tommy, well played. I think this is the second time you've ever won consecutive five-set matches.
00:53I think US Open 2022, you did that. I'm curious just how tough is that to do, to get through two really tough matches like that,
01:01and especially, obviously, the physical stuff you talked about in the last press conference.
01:07Yeah, I mean, it's definitely harder than winning straight-set matches, but I don't know.
01:13I mean, I feel like that's what we train for, you know.
01:16Definitely happy to get through in any way, like, whether it's five sets.
01:23If I have to play five sets again in the next match, I mean, I'll do it.
01:29Yeah, I mean, not too much.
01:31You know, obviously, your body gets worn down and tired, but you've got to push through.
01:36It's a grand slam, you know.
01:39Well done, Tommy.
01:40You guys are both probably known more for hard courts, and there were, like, long stretches where it almost seemed like you guys were ignoring that you were playing on clay
01:50and looked like hard court tennis.
01:52I was wondering, like, how much were you aware of that, and then how much were you thinking, like, I've got to, you know, use spins and slices and stuff like that down in that fifth set?
02:03Yeah, I mean, not at all when it comes to, you know, if I was thinking about us playing hardcore tennis.
02:13I was just trying to win any point any way I could, and it happened to be later in the match when I started, you know, playing more aggressive.
02:21For us, I think on any surface when we play, it's about who can get on offense first because when he's offensive, he's really, really good.
02:32He can do everything, and when I'm offensive, I feel like that's an uncomfortable position for him, and that's what it was about.
02:42Not too much about the surface, really.
02:46Tommy, your next opponent, Alexei, says that he thinks you're one of the fittest on the circuit.
02:54Is that something you take great pride in?
02:56So he basically says, I don't think it's going to make much difference in terms of him having played two five-setters.
03:02Yeah, definitely.
03:04I mean, I work really hard, you know, off court and on court.
03:11We get after it, so, you know, we feel kind of prepped for this kind of stuff.
03:17Can I also just ask what you think of Alexei and the dangers that he poses in the next round?
03:22Yeah, I mean, everyone saw last year him in Canada winning the tournament.
03:26He played unbelievable tennis there, and that's what he's capable of.
03:31You know, he can play – he can take the racket out of your hand sometimes, and hopefully tomorrow, or in two days,
03:38I can use the clay to my advantage and kind of slow things down a little bit.
03:41And, I mean, we've played quite a few times, so I guess we know each other's games pretty well.
03:49And I think we both have ideas of what we want to do on the court in that match.
03:54But, I mean, I'm just excited to play.
03:57I mean, you know, this is Grand Slam tennis, and this is why we play this sport, you know?
04:02Hi, Tommy.
04:05What did you have to do?
04:07Can you tell us a little bit about the physical preparation between the last match
04:12when you had those physical problems and getting ready for today?
04:19Honestly, not too much different, really.
04:21We just did an ice bath and got some body work with my physio and prioritized sleeping,
04:28and trying to sleep as much as I can, as late as I can, which at slams is honestly not the easiest thing.
04:37You know, it's obviously a stressful couple weeks.
04:39You want to do well, and there's so many other matches going on.
04:43You want to watch tennis.
04:44It's not actually the easiest to sleep during these events,
04:48even when you have 10 sets under your belt in two days.
04:52So that's, like, the priority for me, at least.
04:56I think a lot of players would probably agree.
04:58What is a good night's sleep for you during these things?
05:02During these things?
05:03I mean, if I can...
05:06I'll say maybe for you guys, it's probably...
05:09I don't know your guys' sleep schedule, but I like to get, like, nine hours.
05:15And here, I mean, it's broken up in probably, like, six.
05:22And you spoke a little bit a moment ago about the physical challenges of the five setters.
05:28What about the mental side of that and the remaining locked in for that long period?
05:36Yeah, I mean, that's...
05:38You know, your mind drives everything.
05:40And when your mind goes, sometimes your body can go, too.
05:44And that's the most important thing, to stay locked in.
05:46And, you know, tell yourself to keep going, whatever, you know, take some people have to keep themselves moving forward
05:56and keep themselves in a positive mindset.
05:58And everyone's different.
05:59But, I mean, that's a huge...
06:01It plays a huge role in playing long matches or playing slams in general.
06:06Yeah, hey, Tommy, congrats.
06:10For sure, you know well, pretty well the game, current game, and other Russian guys.
06:15For example, yeah, like Rublev, Medvedev.
06:17Could you, you know, underline something which connects them?
06:21If there is anything in their style of play which you could, like, can define.
06:31Or it's, in a good way, like, stereotype of them.
06:36Like, what do they all do similar?
06:39Yeah, yeah.
06:39Like, if there's something from their, like, school, I don't know.
06:43I don't know.
06:47I mean, they're all really good baseline tennis players.
06:50Like, they don't really have too big of holes from the baseline.
06:53And most of them can really hit the crap out of the ball.
07:00That's about it, I guess.
07:06You were often, like, applauding his shots.
07:08And I was just wondering if that was, like, applauding or clapping your racket on his shots,
07:14which was very nice.
07:15I was just curious, like, if that was a reflection of you guys being friends
07:19or just trying to keep it light or keeping yourself in the right headspace.
07:22Or is it a bit of a mind game, like, to do that with opponents?
07:27No, it's not a mind game.
07:29I mean, he came up with some really good shots.
07:31I do that in most of my matches, honestly.
07:33I try and, you know, like, applaud my opponent when they do something well
07:39and not take away from what they're doing good.
07:43And it also helps me in my mindset knowing that, like, you know,
