World No. 14 Arthur Fils shared his thoughts after defeating Jaume Munar in a thrilling second-round match at Roland Garros, winning 7/6(3), 7/6(4), 2/6, 0/6, 6/4.
How did the three hours after the match go? What have you been doing?
Recovering. I took hot and ice baths, then went for physiotherapy and a massage. I had lunch, talked a bit with my family. And now I`m here, at the press conference.
How do you feel after such a match?
I feel a bit tired, my legs are heavy, but it`s not as bad as I expected. I thought it would be worse, but I`m holding up for now. We`ll see how I feel tomorrow morning, but right now everything is okay.
We heard you have back problems. Is that true?
Yes, there`s that (smiles). My back has been bothering me since I was young, so I`m used to it. Plus, I had some minor cramps – in short, a whole bouquet, not the most pleasant combination, but I`m managing.
Do you think on a different court with a different crowd, you could have pulled out the fifth set?
Honestly? No. Here, on this court, the atmosphere was decisive. Without it, I might not have even finished the match, let alone won.
What did you feel in the fifth set when you were drawing strength not only from yourself but from the energy of the stands? Especially when the crowd started singing the anthem at 5-4 — how did you manage not to cry right there on the court?
It was something incredible. I`ve never experienced anything like it before. I played at the Paris Masters, the atmosphere there was also amazing, but this match was just on another level. This court is possibly the best in the world. The stands literally carried me to victory. If we were playing somewhere in Asia or another place, I`m not sure I would have even been able to finish the match, let alone talk about winning. The crowd, the atmosphere, a bit of luck – everything came together, and I managed it.
Did you always know you could be so resilient, or was this match a revelation for you?
I always knew I was tough, man (laughs). It`s in my blood – my parents raised me to always fight until the end. Today was a tough day, but I was ready to battle. Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose, but the main thing is I always fight. That`s what matters,” Fils said after the match.
