Melbourne (AFP)

Beaten Wednesday in the second round of the Australian Open after a second five-set marathon in 24 hours, Benoît Paire believes that as a seeded player, he "deserves a little respect" in the lineup.

QUESTION: How do you analyze this defeat?

ANSWER: "Overall, it was a great game. I hung on tight. It's just hard because in the first two sets, in my head, I was really not in it because of the wind. There are a lot of players who complain about the heat or the pollution. I don't like the wind. Afterwards, physically in the fourth set I feel like I'm really tough and in the fifth I want because that I serve well. My legs are really a little broken. "

Q: Aren't you paying your busy start to the season?

A: "I have been away from home since December 27. I have chained the ATP Cup, the Auckland tournament and the Australian Open. I did not have time to cut a second. best players have a day off because they play on the big indoor courts. At one point, I was a finalist last week, I play 3:30 yesterday and the next day I don't even have 24 hours of rest and I’m already playing against Cilic. There’s also the Croatian public (...) they have their swimming caps on their ears: I don’t know if it’s because of this that they don’t hear the announcements ... next time they will stay in their pool. "

Q: The best are necessarily protected, right?

A: "We protect the best but we also have to protect those who have played well the weeks before. I too am seeded! I think at some point that I deserve it. When I make a final in week "Before I play five sets the night before, I deserve to play in the evening, that's it. I think it would be a little fairer to have a night session or not to play before 5:00 pm We have to protect everyone the players who played well. We have to respect everyone. I want the best to want their courts because they are protected and they want this and they want that. We too are players, we played well, we are seeded, we also deserve a little respect. "

Q: What is your program for the next few weeks?

A: "I still have the doubles tournament to play with Simone Bolelli. He is only there for that, so I still have to keep my commitment. I will try to be at my best, but I have to take a little step back before doing the tournament in India at the beginning of February. I have a friend who goes to the Philippines so for a week I may just relax, go to the beach, sit by the pool and drink cocktails. That's what I like. I just want to put down the racket because now I can't see it anymore. "

Comments gathered at a press conference

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