The smile is always there when it comes, but it is only a facade. After his defeat against Tommy Paul (6-1, 7-6 (4)) in the second round of the Masters 1000 in Cincinnati, Ugo Humbert has a lot on the potato and he does not try to hide it. “I was bad from the start. I didn’t put a ball during a set, I couldn’t find my rhythm, in my head it was messy. In the second, I accepted a little more… But I was not very good. But in the second, I break and I have to finish the set. No, there were too many ups and downs in this match to hope to win against this kind of player. »
Even the pedigree of his opponent, 13th in the world, fails to console him. “I don’t want to tell myself that. If you tell yourself all the time that the guys play well and are well ranked, it’s no use, I’m going to go home and be 40th or 30th in the world all my life. » A bitterness that at least demonstrates the desire to continue to progress to reach a little more altitude in the standings (he is 30th and in a good position to hope to be seeded at the US Open).
But the frustration returns quickly. “No, it sucks, I’m not ashamed to say it. I’m pissed that I produced the worst game on my tour. Now we have to understand why. Because if I want to move up the rankings, I have to be able to beat these kinds of players. »
Special playing conditions
In his defense, the playing conditions are quite specific in Cincinnati. Passed in front of the press a few minutes earlier, Daniil Medvedev explained that if we did not hit the perfect shot, the ball could inexplicably die in the net and that we had to live with it. “That’s also what I felt in the first set. But there are still guys who don’t play at their best and who manage to make the difference in the important moments to win. No, I’m disappointed with my performance because, even though I’m not good, I have to go at least to third place. »
“I tried to move myself in the attitude. Even if you play badly, fight and show that you are there”
Fortunately, there was this reaction after the too rapid loss of the first set. “I felt like I was lowering my head and I told myself that it couldn’t go on like this. I tried to move myself into the attitude. Even if you play badly, fight and show that you are there. Because if I had done nothing, I took 6-1, 6-2 and went home. But on my tournaments, there is positive in the work provided. Just, at some point, facing these players, you have to pass. »
Anyway, now is the time to rest. No tournament next week to prepare for the US Open “the last Grand Slam, still a great tournament. » Appointment is made.
