Day 7 - An interview with Amelie Mauresmo - Saturday, June 2, 2007

Q. Was there a point in the match where you said, "Ooh, I'm supposed to be playing Lucie, not Maria"?

AMELIE MAURESMO: Sorry, I didn't really ‑‑

Q. I mean, the name was like Sharapova, the pink, it was looking like Sharapova with the left hand.

AMELIE MAURESMO: The main difference, I guess, was the left hand. You said it. I didn't feel like I was playing Maria today. But why not? I mean, if that's what you saw, why not?

Q. But that was a joke. The main question is, was it more like trying to gut the match out? Were you physically 100 percent in that match or was it like mind over body or something?

AMELIE MAURESMO: Okay. I guess you're asking me about physical condition. I felt something in my adductors, but I struggle for a few weeks now. And it's something that is not really going right, yeah, for few months now on my body.

So I guess it doesn't help. But I was overall able to still lead 3‑Love in that first set and again in the second set. But not really take advantage of that and not being able, yeah, to keep that pressure, yeah, to keep that pressure on her the way I should have.

So the fact is that there's no miracle today. I mean, I've been struggling for weeks now, and, as I said, coming here at the French Open, I didn't really know what to expect. And I didn't really know ‑‑ didn't really have the goal to ‑‑ you know, I was really taking it match after match. So it showed today that, yeah, when you're not prepared the way you should be, then it makes it very difficult.

Q. You said the injury was decisive, didn't you, today?

AMELIE MAURESMO: What?

Q. Are you saying the injury was decisive today?

AMELIE MAURESMO: No, I don't think ‑‑ it didn't help, that's what I said. I don't think ‑‑ there was no miracle overall. I mean, I struggled a little bit the last match against Nathalie and had some ups and downs and had some ups and downs for weeks now and again today. So it's the result of, I guess, a few weeks of struggle.

Q. You mentioned before that you didn't feel that much pressure here at this event because you've already won two Grand Slam titles. But is it as disappointing as it has been in the past for you to lose here?

AMELIE MAURESMO: Well, it's disappointing. As disappointing? No, because, again, coming here, this year especially, I didn't expect really great things to happen. It's a little bit sad to say, but that's just the way it is and the way it was. So it's different.

Q. I know we're here at Roland Garros, but with you talking about your conditioning, are you going to have time to be properly fit coming back to defend your Wimbledon title?

AMELIE MAURESMO: I hope so. I think clay is physically very difficult, you know, especially coming back from surgery. It makes it even more difficult than any other surface, I guess. And also especially on my weak points that are the adductors. I'll do my best, do what I have to do, I guess, to get ready for in a few weeks.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French, please.

Q. The beginning of this match was quite good. You started off quite well. So how can you explain that, all of a sudden, it turned out totally different? Is it a lack of preparation, a lack of concentration? What happened?

AMELIE MAURESMO: Well, I don't know. I mean, she played very well. She played her match. And that's just the result of what has been going on for me for quite a few weeks now. I'm not regular at the moment, whether on the previous matches, whether last week in Strasbourg, whether the week before Strasbourg.

So today, I walk out of the court and I try and analyze this, and I realized that there was no miracle. These situations, I mean, this type of irregularity is something I've been going through over the last weeks. And I find it difficult to recover what is my strength; I need to be regular from the first match to the last one and to play your best possible tennis all the time.

This is what I lacked today; this is what I lacked for a while since coming back after surgery.

Q. Is there any frustration, because, of course, you give explanations, but is there a frustration, because we feel that you were very close to winning?

AMELIE MAURESMO: Yes. Last week I was very close, as well, in Strasbourg. And today also, it was very close to being a totally different match, and that didn't happen. And 3‑Love today, and physically, I felt this sprain, so that was quite present in my mind, mentally speaking. That didn't help, and especially for this type of surface and this type of match.

Q. This irregularity that you lack at the moment, had you realized it would be that long, is that something normal? Does it take longer than usual?

AMELIE MAURESMO: You know, I'm not a patient person, so it's quite frustrating to me to realize that this irregularity in my game takes longer to come back than I expected. I thought I was probably a bit naive, but I expected this to be back earlier.

Q. And what about the pain? When did you feel it?

AMELIE MAURESMO: Well, I started feeling it when I played against Nathalie and, today very early in the match, i.e., during the second game, and that didn't help me at all. I couldn't feel free, especially when I had to run and adjust my placement, I very often was late on the ball. Even though I realized that she hits the ball very early, I very often was late. And, well, you know, it's a whole series of things.

Q. And where is that pain located?

AMELIE MAURESMO: Adductors, as always. I've been struggling. I know that's one of my weaknesses. That's one of my weak points.

And it's true that clay doesn't help, because you have big slides and this is not easy. And then there is lack of preparation. I mean, I prepared as best as I could, but at one stage, the body needs time, and this is not probably the best preparation I had.

Q. This strapping you had on your hip, is it for your adductors?

AMELIE MAURESMO: Well, I started feeling the pain when I played Nathalie. I could feel it again at the very beginning of the match, so I took some antiinflammatory drugs, and the doctors told me to strap it.

Q. Was it a problem for you with your forehand?

AMELIE MAURESMO: Yes.

Q. Did you have a feeling that the match could be totally different at 3‑3 when she made the mistakes on her serve and she had a double fault on her serve?

AMELIE MAURESMO: Well, at one stage I was leading 3‑Love, so it was quite positive. Then she comes back. After I lost four games, I managed to save my service and to go up to the tiebreak.

So despite everything, I said earlier, I had opportunities and the match could have been different, but that wasn't the case. And that's it.

Q. When you walked in, you said there was no miracle. So it gives us the impression that you're not that disappointed?

AMELIE MAURESMO: I'm not surprised. You know, at the end of the day, if you work, you win matches; you build up your confidence and you play better and better. Now I have worked over a certain number of weeks with ups and downs which were related to my physical condition, and that's all I can say. And unfortunately, it's not a surprise.

Q. What would you say, Okay, let's be pragmatic, there was no miracle? Or would you say, That's another year I couldn't have a good performance in Roland Garros?

AMELIE MAURESMO: No, just when I walked out of the court, I spoke to Loic and I said, Well, there you go. There was no miracle today.

And I think clay doesn't help. It didn't help me coming back to my best level.

Q. Which of the signs that make you feel that you'll be more regular in the future?

AMELIE MAURESMO: Well, the positive moments when I was stronger, when I played well, when I had intentions, when I was doing something on my side.

In terms of irregularity, I need to play. Of course, grass is a more natural surface to me, and I find my tennis earlier on grass. And I hope this will help me.

Q. With regards to your adductor problem, do you have fears for Wimbledon?

AMELIE MAURESMO: Well, I remember last year when I had problem for the last match. So it's a good memory you want to have. I hope I'll be able to manage all this in the ‑‑ during the coming week, and I hope I'll be almost ‑‑ at almost 100 percent of my potential for Wimbledon.

Q. When do you think of resuming your practicing to go to Wimbledon?

AMELIE MAURESMO: Well, as early as possible. I'll have two days' break, and then I'll work to come back to 100 percent of my potential and move on. That's the only thing I can do.

Q. What would you say to people who say, Well, the two No. 1s of French tennis are no longer playing in the second week? What would you say?

AMELIE MAURESMO: Well, I could explain my case. As for Richard, you probably spoke to him.

Q. Is it worrying?

AMELIE MAURESMO: Well, in my case, there is nothing worrying, and there's certainly more worrying things than that in life. All we need is to be pragmatic, to face things, to know why, to know the reasons, and make sure that this will not happen again. And, yeah, do our best so it doesn't happen again.

Q. On these intense phases in the match, which were the most intense phases in the match? Would you say it's the end of the first set?

AMELIE MAURESMO: No, I started off playing very well. It was a very good beginning, and that was very intense. Because even at the end of the match for the five, six, seven last games, I had very poor service, double faults, never managed to pass my first serve. And I would always give her two or three points on my services. So that's probably not the best period of the match for me.

Q. You've been injured. You had problems with your adductors. Had it not been Roland Garros, would you have come at all?

AMELIE MAURESMO: Well, this is a question I never asked myself. When I couldn't feel the pain in my abdomen anymore, I knew I couldn't wait and just play on grass for two or three months before Wimbledon. And I know that what I need is playing matches. I don't want to practice for three months. We do that for a month and a half in between two seasons, and enough at my age.

Q. Can you tell us about your agenda for the coming weeks?

AMELIE MAURESMO: Well, Eastbourne and Wimbledon.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you very much.