Humbert : “I was hitting only winners, eveything was in (against Alcaraz)” - Post-match press conference in Paris

Ugo Humbert: “It's the greatest victory of my career and the best moment I've ever experienced on a tennis court. It was incredible, I train for this and that's what I kept telling myself throughout the third set. I wanted the story to end better than it did last year.nnI also thought about the match against Zverev, it gave me strength and I'm really proud of myself. Jérémy (Chardy, his coach) had said to me, above all, don't do what you did in Davis Cup, trying to overplay (Humbert lost against Alcaraz in September).nnBut everything was in the court. I was hitting winner after winner, and I was ultra-aggressive from the return. At the start of the second, I started to miss a bit, and he started to play a bit better. I think I'd used up so much energy that I had a little backlash and I fought until the middle of the third to get through it.nnAfter that, I talked to myself the whole third set, talking to myself. I needed to talk to myself to tell myself that I was with me, that I was there, that I wouldn't give up until the end. It worked, it felt good and I felt it was the right solution.nnIn any case, with my game on these surfaces, as on grass, I can really annoy the best in the world. After that, in the Davis Cup, he played an incredible match. I didn't have too many chances, he made me forced everywhere and I didn't see the light of day.nnThis was a different match, with the incredible support of the crowd. I'm also happy to give them (the fans) the victory because it was such an important moment for me. To share it with them was just fabulous.nnI love playing the best players in the world. That's why I train for. I love these conditions at Bercy, my favorite tournament. These are the matches I love to play.”