New York (AFP)
Richard Gasquet assured Thursday that he had not been traumatized by his close surveillance in the health bubble of the US Open, but admitted that now that he had been eliminated, he had only one wish, "to return to the House".
Like the other players having rubbed shoulders with Benoît Paire who was excluded from the tournament for a positive coronavirus test, Gasquet is awaiting authorization to be able to leave New York, but does not know how long he will have to wait, while it is a question that the players are blocked there for ten days.
“The only thing I know is that I lost in four sets and I want to go back to Paris. The Air France flight tonight, let's say I would like to take it. 'I am not the one who decides, ”he told a press conference after his lost second round match against Australian Alex De Minaur.
"I am waiting. I do not want to spend 9 days here until next Saturday at all. I prefer to go home! We are waiting for news," he added.
If he remains blocked in New York, his preparation for Roland-Garros which begins in three weeks may be affected since in the meantime he has registered for the tournaments in Kitzbühel and Rome.
"For the rest of the season, this is not good news," he agreed.
As for the way he lived his isolation in the bubble of Flushing Meadows, he claims not to have been traumatized, unlike his compatriot Kristina Mladenovic.
"There is nothing traumatic. It is not lucky what is happening, but Ben (Benoît Paire) is doing very well and that is the main thing", he said, adding n ' to have felt "no fear" related to the virus.
© 2020 AFP