TENNIS 2014 ROLAND GARROS – 28th of May 2014. M. Raonic d. J. Vesely 7-6, 6-4, 6-1. An interview with Milos Raonic
Q. How did you feel in that match, especially at the beginning where first set was obviously the toughest of the three?
MILOS RAONIC: I think it can sort of be divided in a few pieces. I felt like in the beginning I was just missing a little bit of intensity, and I was letting him dictate a little bit too much. Then in the important moments I played the right way.
In the tiebreaker he came up with a very good shot when I was up 1 Love to pass me down the line.
At the beginning of the second I sort of fell into the same slump a little bit with intensity, but then I feel like I did the right thing for the rest of the match and I gave myself plenty of opportunities.
Q. Did you see the level of your game going up from the first match, which is obviously what you want in a slam?
MILOS RAONIC: It is. I feel like I’m playing better today than I did three days ago, and I think I dealt a little bit better with when I got things figured out as far as intensity. I held it on a little bit better where I struggled a little bit with my match three days ago.
Q. When was the last time you played a guy that was taller than you?
MILOS RAONIC: There is quite a few guys actually now on tour; John, Sam, Cilic, quite a few guys.
Q. Just want to ask you: What is the role the weather is playing right now? How is it making the game different this year compared to maybe the previous year?
MILOS RAONIC: Well, last year was the same, I feel like. But maybe previously before that, it tends to be just a bit bouncier and quicker.
But most tournaments actually this year have been a little bit heavier. Rome was most of the time it was cloudy with, especially at night, humid. Monte Carlo was not really as warm because it’s earlier in the spring season.
So it’s playing a little bit slower than you would expect here in Paris, but it’s been going well so far.
Q. It’s a Grand Slam, and it’s also your business. Obviously you want to come out for every single match and be intense. Do you have any theories about why sometimes you come out and there is a lack of intensity and sometimes everything just goes just fine? Are there any particular factors that play into that? Do you have any ideas?
MILOS RAONIC: I think also sometimes you go in maybe sort of calculating, because it is three out of five, which you’re a little bit unused to because you play really only four, maybe five if you play Davis Cup and so forth, five times a year. I think that’s really the only thing.
But there really is no and also, at the beginning of matches you sort of try to find your way into it. You can’t go out trying to hit close to the line, because that’s never going to really work. Maybe once in a while it will. But you sort of have to find your way in. I just wasn’t gradually picking it up the way I needed to during the first.
Q. After last week in Rome, your confidence levels, are they different coming into this Grand Slam after pushing Djokovic so close? Do you really feel you have a good chance at this tournament to go all the way?
MILOS RAONIC: Yeah. I think I have given myself just not results specifically I think that’s helped, but I think I have given myself over the last year or so a lot of opportunities because I feel like I’m getting better consistently, and I feel like I have significantly improved.
Q. I know you haven’t played on the center court here. How much would you enjoy doing that? There is like obviously a chance if you’re playing Simon.
MILOS RAONIC: Yeah, that would be a great opportunity. But I haven’t really given it too much thought.
Just as it would be something gratifying in a way, just because this one here in Chatrier. And out at Wimbledon I haven’t played on either of those two center courts.
