Lucas Pouille – Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. That was a good workout for you, wasn’t it?

LUCAS POUILLE: Yeah, it was. I knew it would be tough because I played only 20 minutes out there before the match. I arrived yesterday pretty late. I fell asleep around 4 or 5 a.m., so a bit tired. But I’m happy with what I did tonight.

Q. You were very clinical on a lot of the breakpoints, barring the one double-fault. Talk about how you got yourself out of trouble.

LUCAS POUILLE: When you’re confident… I won many matches the past three weeks, so I’m arriving here with a lot of confidence. I think that helped me in the tough moment. Especially in the breakpoints, I served pretty well and played good rallies. That’s very positive.

Q. Were you considering maybe not playing here because you played so many matches? Are you worried about scheduling?

LUCAS POUILLE: No, I didn’t think about not playing here. I really wanted to come back because last year I had good feelings. I was playing well. I wanted to come and try to go as far as possible. I knew it would be tough. I know it’s going to be tough tomorrow, as well.

Try to give my best and go as far as possible.

Q. Why do you like coming here?

LUCAS POUILLE: Because I live here. I can be at home. We traveling a lot every week. Last time I came was end of January after the Australian Open. So I’m happy to come back. After there is the clay season, the grass season, so it’s going to be a lot in Europe. I’m happy to be here.

It’s a very nice tournament. For us, I mean, every player like to come here. It’s very nice.

Q. Regarding the Davis Cup proposal, I don’t know if you heard or not.

LUCAS POUILLE: I heard.

Q. What are your thoughts?

LUCAS POUILLE: Well, I think it’s a death sentence of the Davis Cup. They just picked the idea of the ATP of making the World Team Cup again, because it’s exactly the same. It’s during one week, a lot of teams, some money. That’s why they want to do it.

But obviously they cannot call it a Davis Cup any more. When you’re not playing at home, or in the country against who you’re playing, then it’s not a Davis Cup. I mean, everybody who lived already a Davis Cup tie know that it’s going to be different, it’s not going to be the same atmosphere any more.

I think it’s a very bad idea for the Davis Cup.

Q. One of the ideas is to get everyone playing.

LUCAS POUILLE: Everyone playing? The thing is, then don’t call it the Davis Cup. Apparently it’s going to be the last week of November or something. When do we stop then? We never stop. We never take holidays.

Everybody say the tour is too complicated, that we are very tired at the end of the year because we’re playing too much. Then they put something more at the end of the year. There is no point to do it.

Maybe do it every two years, every three years, I don’t know. I’m not sure it’s the good idea for the Davis Cup. I mean, it’s not the Davis Cup, it’s the World Team Cup coming back. It’s not the Davis Cup now.

Q. What do you think is maybe an idea to get more players to come with the current format?

LUCAS POUILLE: I’m not sure it’s only about the Davis Cup format, you know. I mean, Roger is playing 13 or 14 tournaments a year. It’s not because of this that he’s not coming to Davis Cup.

He won it already. It’s okay. Everybody who won it already, they don’t play any more. Maybe if it was every two or three years, then it will be different.

But, of course, I mean, we won the Davis Cup end of November. First round we play the beginning of February. I mean, it’s a bit ridiculous. There is no point of playing the first round two months after the final. Maybe there is a point or finding some way to change it. I’m not sure this is the right way.

Q. Gulbis is trying to make his way back, but he’s barely in the top 200 at the moment.

LUCAS POUILLE: Yeah, I don’t know him very well. I know that he’s able to play some great tennis. He’s very powerful, able to serve amazing and play very fast.

But, yeah, I think it’s always tough to come back. Every player, it’s tough to beat, even in the challenger level, 250, any tournaments. The players are good. I wish him, yeah, good luck to come back. I hope I will see him on tour very soon.