F. AUGER-ALIASSIME/V. Vacherot
6-2, 6-2
THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.
Q. Great to see a smile back on your face. Is the smile the real reaction to what your life has been in the past couple of weeks?
VALENTIN VACHEROT: Of course. It's not this match that's going to take off what I did these past weeks and just even this tournament. I mean, yeah, really proud of myself, proud of what I did.
Yeah, today is a tough one, but I don't think I'm that much a part of the loss today.
THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.
Q. Which role did fatigue play over the last matches you played back to back?
VALENTIN VACHEROT: Well, on court I didn't feel so much fatigue. There are a few percentage points that I felt after each match, but this percentage of response time when you're not fresh, and especially the speed at which Felix has played, I think this took its toll.
But I didn't feel lack of energy. I gave it my all. It didn't work out today.
Q. How would you anticipate next year? Because you won't have so many points to defend, and you'll actually play main-draw tournaments for the first time.
VALENTIN VACHEROT: Well, for now, I'm just going to enjoy my streak. We'll see what I do next week. Well, for next season I have no points to defend. I only have points to take everywhere in the most beautiful tournaments worldwide, so I'll play as much as I can without any pressure. I'll try to enjoy as much as I can, just as I did over the last weeks, and I'll do that in 2026, as well.
Q. What you have experienced over the last weeks, will it entail a change in your staff and organization? Because the calendar won't be the same and requirements won't be the same.
VALENTIN VACHEROT: No, I don't think I'll change much in my team. I already have a full staff. Some people might actually travel more with me, because maybe I'll need it more. And the tours and the swings might actually last longer, because if you're playing challengers, you can actually opt for challengers that are not far from home.
There won't be that many changes. If it works this way, then why should I change?
Q. Were you quite impressed by Felix's game?
VALENTIN VACHEROT: Yes, completely. Apart from a few shots where I didn't play well myself, where I could think I lost because of my game, I wondered at one point. I actually won a point on his serve at one point, and every time I tried to return his serve, it was 50 centimeters away from the court.
So mentally speaking, it was hard for me. The response time was actually not fast enough, and this is why it was hard. Every time I would return correctly, the next time actually it went the other side of the court and very fast.
I thought that he was very, very strong. I actually expected it. I was lucky because I practiced with him several times over the years, and it's incredible what he can achieve, the fast pace of his game. This is what I felt today on court on my side and was not surprised, and especially over the last weeks his level is very high.
I knew that he can play very well when he's riding confidence, momentum, and this is what's happening. He's actually the reason why the scoreline was what it was.
Q. Are you going off on a holiday, or are you going to play next week?
VALENTIN VACHEROT: I don't know yet officially if I received a wildcard for Metz. It depends on this. And then how I feel, I don't know yet what I'm going to do next week.
Q. Have you forgotten this feeling where you actually lost and you think, okay, the opponent is stronger than me? When did it last happen?
VALENTIN VACHEROT: Well, in challengers. I didn't lose with that scoreline very much, I have to say. If I would lose with that scoreline, I would feel that it was my bad. Of course I could have done much better on some shots and some balls, because Felix played very well today.
But over the last weeks, my achievements are what I keep in my heart and head, and I keep in mind.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports