"The will paid off", welcomed Caroline Garcia, in a press conference, in remarks reported by AFP, Saturday, after her qualification for the semi-finals of the WTA Masters, beating with difficulty 4-6, 6 -1, 7-6 (7/5) the Russian Daria Kasatkina, happy to have overcome the "frustration" which sometimes won her, by continuing to "move forward".
The French will meet the Greek Maria Sakkari, undefeated in Texas, for a place in the final.
What does it mean for you to reconnect with the semi-finals, five years later?
“It's a great achievement.
I was already very proud to be in the top 8. It shows a little more that this year was definitely good.
I have come a long way.
It also comforts me in my style of play and the fact that I have to continue on this path and to fight.
Precisely, this victory was laborious, but rewards your perseverance...
“Yes, even if sometimes I gave in to frustration.
But overall, I remained positive and clear about my intentions.
I think that's what had to be done.
It wasn't always clean, but the will paid off."
Your end of the first set was very complicated, with 2 points out of 16 won, without Kasatkina playing better. What went through your head?
"I wish I knew sometimes.
I was leading 4-2, but the games were tight, the rallies made things a bit difficult physically.
At one point, I panicked because I felt like I wasn't going to keep this pace.
So I ignited on my own, started putting more into my punches and moving less and less.
It didn't make a very good mix... So it frustrated me all the more.
I knew that I had the keys in this match, by leading the exchanges, but I wanted to do a little too much.
And in addition there was the stress linked to the issue of qualification.
But I managed to become calmer again and play more controlled tennis.
The second set was really, really good.
And the last one was just a battle."
At 4-4 in this third set, after six missed break points, aren't you gambling?
“In the management of certain moments, like after the loss of the first set, I really made sure to progress.
I saved myself a lot of encounters this year, telling myself that if it didn't work out at first, I should stay calm, accept it, and turn to the next point.
At 4-4, I really had chances.
Sometimes we take an ace, we think that the other has played well.
There, it was not really the case.
The thing is, I didn't go looking for that break at all on at least four occasions.
And that's not my style, nor my intention usually.
But I was able to put that aside.
On the match point, we have the feeling that you have just won the title. However, there is first a half to play. How to recover mentally?
“I especially had no legs!
(she had fallen to her knees, editor's note).
Well, you also have to know how to take advantage of this type of victory in the snatch, especially when you give everything you have.
There were lots of emotions and positive energy.
Until the end, I tried to be aggressive, but I became more and more tense.
Besides, I was screaming louder and louder.
But we had to continue to impose the pressure, to move forward.
Your legs, exactly how are they after 2h27 of effort?
“There it goes much better, even if they are a little heavy.
Maria (Sakkari) had one more day to recover, but I knew it would be like this.