Paris (AFP)

"I'm not going to waste my time sitting down and catching a cold," said Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, who took the first round at Roland Garros on Sunday beating Danka Kovinic (6-1, 6-2) after having got his game suspended for a big half hour because of the rain.

Q: You were particularly upset at the start of the match, with the drizzle falling.

A: "It was drizzling when I started to warm up, so when it's drizzling for about two hours straight, it's a little more than drizzle. My opponent (Montenegrin Danka Kovinic, finally beaten 6-1, 6-2, Editor's note) slipped in the third game, I think she was also a little uncomfortable. I asked if we were going to continue playing, while my grip was slipping. "

Q: What happened next?

A: "Afterwards, I was asked if I would wait a little longer, because the rain was supposed to lose intensity. I answered + Absolutely not +, because I don't see the point of staying on the runs when it's 8 ° C (11 ° C actually Editor's note) At the same time, I asked my opponent if she wanted to wait on the court or if she wanted to go down (in the locker room), and she told me said she didn't want to wait on the court. I wasn't going to waste my time sitting here and catching a cold. Having these conditions right now is very complicated. I won't complain, but sometimes it there are smarter ways to deal with it. We talked, we were told that another big cloud was coming and that we could get back on court once it passed. "

Q: Do you think it was better to cancel the tournament like Wimbledon did, rather than postpone it until this time of year?

A: "It's a difficult question, really. Difficult to answer yes or no. I never played in Paris in September, I went there in October and I knew it wasn't the best conditions for playing tennis. Unfortunately there was no communication with the player councils, the decision was taken without consultation, I hope that may change in the future. Do I think that the cancellation would have been better? I wouldn't say that, because we all want to play. For me, the financial situation is more stable than for other players, but it is important to have this possibility during the pandemic. Lower ranked players, doubles players have been hit financially so it's really a great opportunity to be able to play here. Maybe there should have been a little more consultation. 'we can improve. "

Interview at a press conference.

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