At Wimbledon,
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Wimbledon: men's schedule and results
Wimbledon: ladies schedule and results
On his demonstration of the day
“I was tired this morning.
And being tired, I played very relaxed.
The more matches progress, the better I feel.
I think I play a good tactic against her (Katie Boulter).
She's a powerful player.
I'm not.
I returned his serve as best I could, and played a few slices, a few drop shots, volleys, and it all worked out today.
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On her opponent
“I think she doesn't like my game. (Laughs.) I think it was very hard for her too because she is playing at home.
It was our first third round, for both of us.
I was really cool today on my side.
Yes, of course, if I had played on Center Court (the match was played on court 2), I think there would be a lot of people for her.
I prefer to play on a small court (smile).
I also like to play the first game at 11 a.m. because I don't have to wait all day.
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On his career at Wimbledon
“For me, it was impossible to beat Serena (Williams) in the first round.
I do not believe it.
It was a lot of emotion.
Since then, I take game after game.
Today was a great match for me, because Katie normally plays very well on grass.
I thought it would be a difficult match today and it was less expected.
Read alsoWimbledon: solid, Harmony Tan continues on its way and goes to the 3rd round
On his grass game
“I enjoy playing on grass.
I never had it before.
And the tournament I played before Wimbledon was more of a football field (smiles).
In Gaiba (in Italy), I played simply by serving and volleying because the balls did not bounce on this grass.
When I landed at Wimbledon, it was something else entirely.
My game while variation, with low balls and high balls disturb my opponents, I think.
And it works well on grass.
Read alsoHarmony Tan, Serena's faller: "I thought to myself that if I already won one or two games, it would be great"
On his life journey
“Everyone has his destiny and if you really believe in it, you can get there.
When I was young, coaches from the Federation (FFT) told me that I would never be a very good player with my style of play. It was really hard for me.
I had no financial aid.
It hurts me.
When I was 16, I had my baccalaureate and I thought of continuing the studies.
I took the Sciences Po Paris exam and was accepted.
I gave him two years to see what would happen.
And there is a person who believed in me.
It was Nathalie Tauziat when I was 18, and we've been working together ever since.
I think it works today (smile).
On his meeting with Nathalie Tauziat (his coach)
“I had no coach at that time.
I was in the dark.
I asked my mother to help me.
She managed to find Nathalie's number.
She had answered us.
It was huge already.
And she told us 'why not, come to my place in the South West and we'll see what we can do.
We took the car the same evening and drove seven hours.
I was dead when I arrived.
We did ten days of training with her and it started like that.
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On Sam Sumyk (reputed French coach who also coaches her)
“He went back to Los Angeles three weeks ago because his wife is going to give birth.
He couldn't come to Wimbledon.
We talk a lot on the phone every day.
I don't know if he's surprised, I am.
Since February, we have worked a lot together.
He is by my side regularly.
He made me evolve and asked me to be much more aggressive when I am a defensive player at the start.
He told me that my game would be perfect on grass.
He told me that if I continued to be offensive, I could aim for the very high level.
His experience helps me enormously on the big tournaments.
It's the first time I've played a lot."
Read alsoWimbledon: "I stay in my bubble and I surprise myself", blows the surprise Harmony Tan
On the lack of points
“I know it will be very difficult to qualify for the US Open because I only have one tournament to qualify after Wimbledon.
With the points I would be guaranteed to enter the table of the US Open (it would become at worst 75th in the world if the tournament distributed points).
But hey, it's still a Grand Slam.
I really appreciate it and frankly I don't care if there are no points.
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