Roland-Garros: "I am at three Voltarene and six Doliprane before a match", when Gilles Simon stops there

“Gilou, Gilou!

Under the chants of the Central and the applause of his opponent Marin Cilic, Gilles Simon receives the trophy as a cup of Parisian clay which means that the final return to the locker room is not very far away.

For his final Roland-Garros, the veteran of the Blues, 37 years old and 158th in the world, was reduced to dust by the Croatian (n ° 20) in three short sets (6-0, 6-3, 6-2 in 1h56) .

Almost anecdotal because the Niçois no longer had the legs to accompany the head.

“I would have liked to be in better shape but I'm not going to complain, jokes the former ATP No. 6 after delivering a few kisses to the crowd.

I held two matches, it's already not bad.

There is a lot of pain too.

I am at three Voltarene and six Doliprane before a match.

Only the morphine remains…”

“Very happy that it stops against Cilic”

Whatever the content of the last bottle of ocher, remains the intoxication of the first two almost unexpected laps, sparks of happiness and recognition at the twilight of a first life.

“I didn't have the ranking to participate, I'm invited and I have the chance to produce my best tennis for a long, long time, he continues.

I thought it would all be over on Tuesday evening

.

In addition, even if my career had to stop today, I would have been very happy that it was against Marin, a very discreet guy and a huge champion who deserves the fair play prize every year

.

I really had a lot of concerns about the draw.

You say to yourself if it's Isner, there won't be an exchange, if it's a Frenchman there won't be the atmosphere, etc.

Thanks, @GillesSimon84 🇫🇷😭#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/J5fDu57gxj

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 28, 2022

Freed by the announcement of his stop in the fall, the former Masters semi-finalist has started his kifs tour in the best possible way, which will take him on a pilgrimage to places that have marked him or will go to him. to lack.

“By force, the children doubt that I could play well”

“I did 17 Roland-Garros and obviously I remember a lot of things, slips the man with 14 titles on the circuit, who fell Federer and Nadal when they were world No. 1.

Big joys, disappointments, frustration but ultimately immense happiness.

It's a tournament that never leaves you indifferent.

We want more than elsewhere, all the time.

It had to end but my goal is to put everything I have left and I hope to relive incredible emotions like that.

»

Approaching the finish line, the former Wimbledon and Australian Open quarter-finalist, king of extended matches, is proud to have negotiated the Porte d'Auteuil stage ahead of his.

Without having passed completely for a has-been.

“By force, the children doubt that at one time I was able to play well, launches the one who signed his 500th victory on the circuit on Thursday.

Now they say to me:

I am happy to have left them this memory…”

For tennis fans, continuation (and not end) of the nostalgia sequence.

We are now talking about Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the past and Richard Gasquet and Gaël Monfils will not be combined forever in the future.

Tempus flees…