La finale Dames Roland-Garros a rendu son verdict ce samedi ! Après un superbe combat, la n°1 mondiale Iga Swiatek est parvenue à faire plier la 43e joueuse mondiale Karolina Muchova pour aller chercher un 4e titre du Grand Chelem, le troisième à Roland-Garros après 2020 et 2022. Le combat aura été intense pendant 2h47 mais sans doute à l'expérience, la reine Iga a su s'accrocher pour l'emporter 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 et finalement aller chercher le titre. Ému aux larmes lors de la cérémonie, Karolina Muchova a repris ses esprits pour donner son ressenti sur ses deux semaines de rêve à Roland-Garros. Entre frustration et fierté, la Tchèque n'a pas encore tranché mais ce qui est sûr, c'est qu'elle veut y regoûter...
Category
🥇
SportTranscription
00:00 It is often said that tennis is an individual sport,
00:04 but it is never more beautiful than when it is collective.
00:09 BNP Paribas, faithful to tomorrow's tennis for 50 years.
00:15 Thank you very much.
00:17 Now the feeling is a little bitter,
00:21 because I felt it was a very close match.
00:25 But overall, to call myself a Grand Slam finalist,
00:31 it's an amazing achievement and for sure a big motivation for me
00:35 to work in the future and to get a chance again
00:41 to play for these big titles.
00:45 What do you think was the difference in this match ultimately?
00:49 The difference?
00:52 Well, you could see the difference in the first set and a half.
00:55 I think I felt I was a little slow, I would say.
01:00 And Iga, obviously, she usually has these great starts to the matches,
01:08 and when she's on the roll it's tough to break in.
01:11 But I was trying to continue to change the rhythms
01:15 and to get her out of the rhythm.
01:17 And then in the second set, with that one break that I managed there,
01:22 I came alive a little bit.
01:25 And I felt that then in the third set the difference was not so big.
01:32 We both had chances.
01:35 But I didn't use them as well as she did.
01:38 Hi, Karolina.
01:41 You mentioned that she can get on a roll
01:44 and she'd never lost a set in a Slam final before.
01:47 What did you learn about being able to stop that,
01:51 stop her momentum and hang with her when she's playing at such a high level?
01:59 I think as well, when I play this, when I play slices and try to break the rhythm,
02:05 it takes a while, I would say, for other players to get out of the rhythm.
02:11 So I think that would be that.
02:14 And then I just stepped in and I played more aggressive.
02:18 I think that worked.
02:20 I could see that she was a little bit struggling, a little bit more tense,
02:27 and as well started to do some mistakes.
02:29 Then I took the chances in the second set
02:35 and I felt like the momentum went a bit on my side.
02:39 I started well in the third set as well.
02:42 But she's the world number one.
02:45 I had to still push more and more.
02:48 It was very close.
02:51 Sash, another view?
02:54 Hi, Karolina.
02:56 It's been quite emotional after the game.
02:58 Can you tell us a little bit about the feelings you had
03:01 and what Krisevert said to you?
03:03 She said really kind words to me.
03:09 I probably won't even say that.
03:14 I don't know if she would want me to tell it to you.
03:16 So I'll keep that for myself.
03:18 But obviously when you finish this whole two weeks,
03:23 I'm pretty exhausted, I have to say.
03:25 Then everyone is clapping for you.
03:27 It was a little emotional there.
03:30 Karolina, how different was this match to any other match you've played before?
03:37 Did it feel very, very different?
03:39 Did you feel more nervous than you otherwise might
03:41 playing in a first Grand Slam final?
03:43 I actually didn't feel that nervous.
03:46 No, not really.
03:50 I tried to be focused.
03:53 I knew I played for the big thing,
03:55 but I didn't let it go to myself.
03:59 I just tried to play as I always do.
04:06 As if I would play first round or the final.
04:09 Obviously I knew it's a final,
04:11 but I was not really nervous on the court.
04:15 Karolina, thanks for taking us on a really exciting journey.
04:22 Over the last few weeks here.
04:24 At the start of Roland Garros,
04:27 how much belief did you have that you could get to a final?
04:31 And now you've had the experience,
04:34 how much belief have you got that you can get to another final?
04:38 Thank you.
04:40 Well, I always believe when I go to the Grand Slam.
04:51 I believe in every Grand Slam I've played before,
04:53 and I've never played final.
04:55 So the belief is there.
04:57 But that I actually achieved it,
04:59 it's a very, very nice and warm feeling for me.
05:05 It's good for the confidence.
05:09 It says to me that I'm able to do this big result.
05:20 It's very motivational.
05:21 Now I feel I can do it.
05:25 I'll for sure try to get there again
05:27 and to put up a fight for the title on the next stages.
05:32 Karolina, having achieved this on clay,
05:38 I just wonder how much confidence will that give you for other services,
05:42 and especially going on to Wimbledon where you have a really good record?
05:47 Yeah, I wouldn't expect that much on the clay, honestly.
05:51 I look forward to playing on the grass, on the frost surfaces.
05:57 That's for sure the surfaces I prefer and I like more.
06:01 I look forward to that, that I play the final on the clay.
06:06 It's just nice to know that I can play on clay great as well.
06:10 This was my last clay tournament.
06:13 It could have ended up a little bit better,
06:16 but it was still pretty great.
06:17 I look forward to playing now on the grass.
06:22 Hi, Karolina. Congratulations on a great tournament.
06:27 I just wondered, obviously, for you, for every player,
06:30 winning a Grand Slam is what you dream of, what you're hungry for.
06:33 I just wonder, after today's experience, getting so close to it,
06:38 does that make you even hungrier to actually taste it?
06:43 Well, I think this is pretty soon after the match.
06:46 I still didn't soak it up.
06:48 But, yeah, it's a big motivation.
06:53 Now that I know that you guys were number one and I was so close.
06:59 I think now that I can do it.
07:04 Obviously, I know it's not just like that.
07:07 It's a lot of work and effort to do, but I'm willing to take that.
07:12 I'll try my best on another two slams this year and the next year.
07:18 I hope I'll get a chance to play for the title again.
07:24 Karolina, over here.
07:28 This is a huge effort on your part to get to this final.
07:33 That must be very satisfying in one sense,
07:36 but obviously there's disappointment at the moment.
07:39 Do you think in a few weeks you'll look back on this as a very big positive for you
07:46 when you consider all you've been through with the injuries
07:50 and what happened here last year
07:52 and the good aspects of what you've done?
07:58 Yeah.
08:00 It's not in a few weeks I'll look at it.
08:03 Even now, obviously, I'm a little sad.
08:07 Even now I can look at this tournament.
08:09 I gave my everything on the court today,
08:13 so I have nothing to regret or however to say that.
08:18 Yeah, I'm sorry.
08:24 I don't know what I'm saying.
08:27 Sorry.
08:29 Blackout.
08:34 Question in the back here.
08:35 Hi. Congratulations on your run.
08:39 Thank you.
08:41 A tough question.
08:43 If you could summarize these two weeks in just one word or one phrase,
08:50 what would that be?
08:52 Special.
08:56 Because?
09:00 Special because I played a final of a Grand Slam for the first time,
09:03 so it's pretty special to me.
09:05 Carolina, I just want to ask you, going back to the match itself,
09:09 there were two points in the third set where you were obviously a breakup,
09:13 two love and four three.
09:15 I wonder what was going through your mind at that point.
09:17 Was any of it, "Crikey, I've just got to hold serve twice here
09:20 and I can win a French Open"?
09:22 Did that go through your head or were you very laser-focused on the specifics?
09:27 I didn't have in my head, "I play two games and I can win a slam,"
09:32 but I was aware of, or I wanted to put a great serve,
09:38 good serve, first serves especially in to help me to get the fast points.
09:44 Then it didn't work as well as I planned it,
09:48 but I as well have to say that Iga Iga then stepped in
09:54 and she played unbelievable games on the returns
09:57 and didn't disappoint, didn't give me any easy points or anything.
10:02 It was tough, but I wanted to focus on the serve.
10:10 I don't think now I put many first serves in
10:14 and that was a little bit what I tried to change there,
10:18 but it didn't happen.
10:21 Carolina, just looking ahead, obviously you were playing
10:24 maybe more tournaments than you would have liked to
10:27 because you were trying to get your ranking up and be seated at slams.
10:30 You've taken care of that, but with the grass right now,
10:34 do you feel like you need an ice bath for three weeks
10:37 and then go play Wimbledon?
10:39 Do you feel like you want to get back on to the court immediately and play?
10:42 Where's your head at with respect to that?
10:45 My head now is, I need some rest for sure.
10:50 To take care of the body.
10:52 Between clay and grass we don't have much time
10:56 and I'm actually supposed to play in two days in the Netherlands tournament,
11:02 but I'm not going to play that one.
11:05 I want to do for sure good preparation.
11:10 It's so different, the grass for the body and everything.
11:13 I'll see about the plan.
11:15 I didn't plan it yet, but maybe one tournament
11:19 and then Wimbledon.
11:20 I don't think I'll be able to play two and the Wimbledon,
11:23 but the main focus is obviously Wimbledon.
11:27 We'll see if I manage to play one grass tournament
11:32 or if I will not play any and will just go for the slam.
11:37 You hadn't played Iga in four years in a match.
11:42 I know you've practiced with her,
11:44 but what does it feel like to play her?
11:48 And the style that she brings,
11:50 which I imagine is somewhat different than it was in 2019.
11:54 We actually didn't practice, I don't know,
11:58 a year and a half together or maybe two,
12:00 so I didn't really play with her a long time.
12:03 But to play against her you have to be ready
12:08 and the balls are coming fast.
12:10 She's not doing any easy mistakes
12:14 and you always know that you have a chance
12:17 and you have to take it
12:18 because maybe there is no other chance.
12:20 So, yeah, that's why she's world number one
12:24 and you have to bring your best performance
12:26 to be able to beat her.
12:31 [BLANK_AUDIO]