Paris (AFP)

"With everything that has happened to me, it's not easy," said Benoît Paire after his victory in the first round of Roland Garros on Sunday, his very first since being ousted from the US Open after a first positive test at Covid-19 at the end of August.

The Frenchman was then eliminated from entering Rome and then abandoned in the first round of the Hamburg tournament.

Once again tested positive twice in Germany, he was not definitively authorized until Friday to take part in Roland-Garros.

Q: What state of mind are you in after the last hectic weeks you've had?

A: "It's complicated to answer. I try to do my best on the court when I can play. After that, with everything that has happened to me, it's not easy. Everyone will say that I apologize to myself but when you spend ten days in a hotel room (in New York), and another five days in Hamburg, it's a completely truncated preparation. After that, I try to hang on. Physically, of course I'm not on top. Mentally it's hard. But I'm trying to hold on. That's what I did today (Sunday), it worked, it's good . "

Q: How can this victory help you mentally?

A: "Of course it's always good to win a match. But when you arrive at Roland Garros, you want to be in good shape, to have had a good time before, to be happy. There, I was not at all. I was locked for two weeks in a hotel room. It's a victory, it's good, but I'm not the happiest in the world either because that I won this match. It's cool to win at Roland Garros, but what I like is sharing with the public, like last year. I had felt exceptional emotions. Fortunately, there were a few people who were there to cheer me on, it was cool, but it has nothing to do with other years. it's difficult. I'm glad the tournament is going on, of course. 'is less fun than last year. Frankly, it's been six weeks since I went home, so if I win so much the better, and if I lose, I'll go home, I'll see my dog, my family, and I will be happy at

ssi.

Above all, I will prepare well next year, because I want to do something good, I want to get back into it. "

Q: How do you imagine the rest of this tournament?

A: "I'm going to try to take advantage of this victory a bit, to tell myself that everything is fine, that it's cool. But it's not the same. Usually, I'm here with my family, my friends, I make small restaurants for myself. There, having to be still locked in the room or at the club, and not being able to share these moments with the public, it's something difficult. I'm going to see how it goes. We don't know. never. I have a rather particular tennis, even if everyone thinks that I suck because I lost against guys and that I gave up after a set and a half because I was tired, that I was not well ... Everyone puts me by the side as if I had already lost, but I did not lose. I play (Federico) Coria, I can beat him. I ' I saw that David (Goffin) had lost, that's my part of the table. You never know. With a few matches, with a little confidence, it can come back very quickly. The feelings are quite correct on the court. Why not does

re something good. "

Interview at a press conference.

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