Became Sunday, in Fort Worth (Texas), only the third Frenchwoman in history to reach the final of the WTA Masters, Caroline Garcia said she was "really very proud" of her performance, after having "made a great match" for eliminate the Greek Maria Sakkari 6-3, 6-2.
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Before her, Mary Pierce (1997 and 2005) and Amélie Mauresmo (2003, 2005 and 2006) had reached this stage, the second remaining for the time being the only tricolor titled in this event, in 2005.
You are in the final of a Masters, what does that inspire you?
I'm super happy, but I don't quite realize.
It happened so quickly compared to Saturday, when everything could stop in the group stage (against the Russian Daria Kasatkina, editor's note).
I finally qualified in the snatch and I immediately had to plan for this semi-final.
It's true that not many of us have done that.
This is a very important additional step in my career, I am really very proud.
You have played your best tennis since the start of the event...
Today was a really great game for me.
I was able to impose my style of play and it paid off from the start.
I also felt more relaxed compared to Saturday, very excited at the idea of playing this semi-final.
There was a lot of positive energy.
How do you explain this difference between the two matches?
Every day is different.
This (Sunday) morning I woke up with heavy legs, but super excited and happy to have won the day before.
And then we learn from each game.
I know that when I start talking, getting angry, it doesn't lead to anything.
I still do it a little too much, but I have made a lot of progress in this area throughout the year.
Against Maria, when there was a little stress that mounted, I managed to manage it, to end it quite quickly.
You approached this Masters with some uncertainty after the departure of Bertrand Perret who was your coach. Are you surprised by your performance?
It was unexpected and therefore complicated to manage.
But I tried to bounce back well.
I keep in mind all the good memories of this year, all that we were able to work together, because a lot of things are engraved in me, which come back to me during matches, training.
We had to accept the situation and focus on the present moment.
Then, I knew that I was going to have to face girls from the top 8 in the world, but I also knew that my game was there, that I had already beaten some of them and that I was able to do it again.
But it is a level that we must try to maintain day after day.
So I had to do the maximum in my preparation, to get in shape and give it my all.
These are the last matches of the season, against the best players in the world.
We see you smile a lot, you take pleasure...
When I enter a court I tell myself that I have everything to gain each time.
Sometimes you can lose matches, but I try to commit to getting them anyway.
I don't regret telling myself that I remained passive.
When I play aggressively, when I win points, when the efforts pay off, when there is a sharing with the public, when I can follow up like that in big tournaments, then yes, necessarily it's only some pleasure.