Melbourne (AFP)

Benoît Paire, finalist in Auckland on Saturday, arrived in Melbourne charged with emotions and positive sensations: "If I came on this tour (in Oceania), it is to make a great Australian Open", did he announced Sunday on the eve of his first round against Cedrik-Marcel Stebe (153rd).

"The start of the season was pretty positive. Already at the ATP Cup (at the beginning of the month, note) I had good feelings, so I will try to continue on this line", explained the 24th world player, who never made it past the 3rd round in this first Grand Slam tournament of the year.

"The most important objective of the tour begins and it goes through an already very complicated first round against Stebe," he added.

Does he fear fatigue after this accumulation of matches and trips?

"It's a lot, it's true. But it's always good to play well, I'm very happy to have made my final in Auckland. I have always enjoyed following matches, victories. Last year after Lyon where I had won I felt very good physically at Roland-Garros, after Winston Salem (finalist, note), I lost in the 2nd round at the US Open but physically it was fine. these feelings of victories before the Grand Slams: arriving with a lot of games and confidence, "said the 30-year-old Avignon.

"We will have to recover well, especially emotionally because when we play a final, it leaves traces. We have to get back into it" to be ready on Monday, he conceded.

This final in Auckland against Ugo Humbert, Paire recognizes of course that he would have "preferred to win it, it is normal", but ensures to retain "no frustration".

"I really enjoyed myself last week, with the public, it was really great," he said, referring to the New Zealand spectators.

"I have never been so ovationed," he remarked, smiling at the mention of an incident in the semi-finals which resulted in his being fined for having insulted the public.

"They were spectators who encouraged me, he recalled. There, they drink wine, they drink beers, they drink champagne all day long so inevitably in the stands they let themselves go. . But I like this atmosphere. Sometimes it annoys me when I'm tense and a little stressed, but it's an atmosphere that I love. "

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