Frenchman Alexandre Muller is currently in the running to win his place in the main draw at Roland Garros (September 27-October 11). In an interview with RMC Sport, he tells about his daily life.
How do you live this Roland-Garros with all the health restrictions that surround it?
We still got a little used to restrictions, health bubbles on tournaments since the resumption of the circuit, to be tested for COVID. Afterwards I am very happy that the circuit was able to resume. Even if it is certain that playing Roland-Garros without an audience (the qualifications take place behind closed doors) is quite bizarre. But hey, we make do with it.
How was your arrival in Paris and your entry into the health bubble of Roland-Garros?
I arrived from Romania on Thursday after a Challenger tournament. I hit the ball in the morning, and then I went to the hotel (one of the two hotels reserved for players by the organization) from 3 p.m. to be confined 24 hours after my first PCR test.
The time must have seemed long to you while waiting for the result?
It was quite long indeed. It even lasted about 25 hours, we were waiting for the results that did not want to happen. I was especially looking forward to really entering my tournament. I share my room with my physical trainer, we were able to do a few stretching sessions so as not to arrive too rusty on the ground after this confinement. We watched television. And in terms of meals, boxes were delivered to us, the food was especially not good, but we made do with it (laughs).
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How do you take this life of a confined athlete? Especially in relation to the virus?
We are only allowed to go to the hotel, Roland-Garros, and to Jean Bouin. That’s what they call the bubble, we can’t get out of this bubble. Afterwards, I have the impression of protecting myself well, I wear the mask, I use the hydroalcoholic gel but nothing is immune. The proof with the five players who tested positive already in the men’s table. If we come across one we can have it, but I’m not stressed with that.
What’s your typical day like when you’re not playing a match at Roland Garros?
Today I trained from 11h and 12h, I went to eat at Roland because we are allowed to eat at the stadium. I took care of my snowshoes to string, my dirty laundry to wash, everything that is important for the logistics (smile)! And yesterday match day, I had breakfast, I went to do my warm-up as I was playing in the second rotation. I played my game, then did my care and recovery. As there is no cold bath at Roland this year exceptionally, you can order ice cream at the hotel.
Second match today (Tuesday), you are used to qualifying and now you know the recipe for your place in the final table …
I would like to do it again, to qualify a second time for the final table that would be great (in 2019, Alexandre Muller climbed for the first time in the first round, eliminated by Roberto Carballes Baena). I had a good first game, now I’m going to play Dustin Brown. He has a rather unusual game, we don’t really know what can happen with him.
Even more this year, the financial stake of reaching the final table is essential?
For any player with my ranking around the 250th place in the world, it is true that when we see the prize money which has increased for the first round of the tournament, it is 60,000 euros. It’s a big sum that will help me finance a large part of my season. Of course, this is an additional source of motivation.
