Arthur Cazaux: “It’s certain that I’m going to play at Roland-Garros but am I going to be physically ready…”

Cazaux will be present in less than two weeks at Roland-Garros. Free Midi – Alexandre Dimou

FREE MIDI INFO. Injured ankle during the first round in Barcelona, ​​Arthur Cazaux will be well suited to compete at Roland-Garros this year (May 26 & June 9) even if the Montpellier native does not know in what state of physical form he will be.

You published a video in training on the center of Roland-Garros, how is your ankle ? Is the news good& nbsp;?

The ankle is better, it's progressing at its own pace. I resumed training on clay just two days ago. I had resumed tennis all last week but it was only at the basket and not having any confrontation in front, I didn't move, I only did ranges. There, I gradually resume moving but not yet at great intensities, a bit of slipping… This is where it stands for now. I am still limited in terms of training time this week. But I compensate with physical fitness in the gym.

Premier entraînement sur terre 🦾 pic.twitter.com/jF2t99RGQU

— Arthur Cazaux (@ArthurCazauxOff) May 14, 2024

Before that, you practiced tennis sitting on a chair with an orthopedic boot that's it?

Yes to keep a little contact with the racket. Since Roland-Garros was approaching and the doctors had told me that I could normally be ready for the tournament, we had to keep this contact with the racket, it was important. When I had the boot, every two days I tried to type for an hour sitting on a chair, quietly.

What was the hardest during this period? It brought back bad memories for you, you who had already experienced this& ;nbsp;?

No, honestly it's okay. I enjoyed this period well. What was hard was at the time, I knew that I was going to miss the entire clay season. I knew that my chances of competing in the Olympic Games were slipping away a bit because I couldn't earn points to try to get my place at the Games. Afterwards it's like that, injuries I've had much more serious ones in the past so it's okay I took this injury well.

Today, if you had to give a percentage of your chances of playing at Roland-Garros, how much would you be??

It's sure that I'm going to play at Roland-Garros but am I going to be 100% physically ready or not? There is a good chance that the percentage will not be at the maximum. But in any case, you never know how my body will react. As much as I will be more ready than what was planned. So we'll see how my re-athletics and my return to training on land goes.

When did you make the decision to play at Roland-Garros this year ?

From the beginning, I was told that, normally, it would be good and that I would be on time. Rehabilitation and reathletics followed the initial course of things. As I didn't have any major pain, the doctors always gave me the green light for Roland. I wasn't worried about playing it. But it was more about whether I'm going to be 100% or not physically. Roland-Garros is Roland-Garros, it’s in France, I know that I will be supported by the public. Even if I'm not in top form I will be transcended by everyone nearby, the public, the desire to do well there, so I don't worry about that.< /p>

This doubt about your physical capacity also takes some pressure off you?

I'm not going to make excuses for telling myself that I didn't have the preparation I wanted. If I go on the field, it’s to win. I'm not here telling myself that I have nothing to lose because I'm less physically fit. No no, if I enter the field it's to give the best of myself with what I have and win.

After your absence following your injury, you want even more to score points with a view to qualifying for the Olympic Games ?

Yes obviously, we'll see what happens at Roland. I will take it match by match, the results and the accounts we will do them at the end.

How did you take Adrian Mannarino's statements on his probable withdrawal from the Games ?

He's been telling me for a while that he was unsure about the Olympics because he knows that it's a surface where he's not not very efficient, that he could surely leave his place. There, he made it official, obviously that gives me a chance to qualify. If I manage to win this last place, I will be very honored to wear the jersey of the French team, to play a tournament for my country that would be incredible.

This approach is to his credit ?

It definitely suits me but I haven't earned my place yet. In any case, it’s to its credit, yes, it’s quite a strong choice.

I subscribe to read more