Biofile With Gilles Muller
by Scoop Malinowski
08.09.2011
Gilles Muller reached the 2008 US Open quarter-finals.
Luxembourg's Gilles Muller, who plays defending champion Rafael Nadal in the US Open fourth round on Thursday, reveals his funniest tennis match and musical tastes in this biofile...
Tennis Inspiration: “I always looked up to Agassi.”
Favourite Movies: “A lot of movies I like. I like Denzel Washington, I think he’s one of the best actors in the world.”
Musical Tastes: “U2. I had the chance to see them twice in one year in Berlin and Zurich. Huge fan of U2.”
First Job: “I went to my uncle’s, he’s selling meat. Butcher shop. I helped in the kitchen (age 12).”
First Car: “Was my mom’s Volkswagen Polo. Now I have a BMW.”
Favourite Meal: “Pizza.”
Early Tennis Memory: “I always look back when I see these moments now, in a big stadium. And I look back when I was a kid and I went to my club with all my friends and we played there for fun and we were always watching the big matches in the big stadiums on TV. And it’s always nice to look at those moments.”
Pre-Match Feeling: “Well, you have different matches. In big matches in big stadiums I’m more nervous in a good way, than the other matches. If you’re playing on like Court 16, it’s not the same as if you’re playing on the Stadium. I think sometimes my problem – if I play on small court, I’m – I won’t say I’m not motivated but it’s different there. You really try to do your best. And if you lose, you try to fight every point like hell. And so I have to try and find the mental to do it everywhere.”
Greatest Sports Moment: “Tough to say. I never won an ATP tournament. The win against Agassi (2004 in Washington, DC) is always nice. But then, on the other hand, U.S. Open Ashe Stadium night session against Roddick (2005). It was so unbelievable, emotional moment in my career.”
Most Painful Moment: “The toughest moment is if you play here on Ashe Stadium in front of a full house and then you’re playing a Challenger somewhere out there in front of two people and one of them is your coach. I mean, that’s what’s very tough. In the beginning, when I went back to Challengers, I felt like I failed.”
Favourite Tournament: “Probably the U.S. Open. I like the city, the stadium, I like the people here.”
Embarrassing Tennis Memory: “Once in juniors I had the shorts with the knob and you close it with the zipper. And I lost my shorts and I kept playing the point holding my shorts up [smiles].”
Favourite Players To Watch: “It’s always nice to see Roger playing, so easy and so calm on the court. It’s very much fun to watch Rafa. So much energy on the court. He’s not missing so much and he’s fighting so much. He’s really making people enjoy it. He gives me a big impression always when I’m watching.”
Funny Tennis Memory: “I like Roddick. I think he’s pretty funny all the time. After our match, I have to say for me it was really nice, he came and told me on the court, Good luck and these kinds of things, you played great. And after again, he came here in the locker room to tell me this. So I think that’s very fair and very nice. For sure he was very disappointed but he’s a big sportsman.”
Closest Tennis Friends: “In tennis, you don’t have really, very close friends in tennis. You’re friends with everybody but you’re still opponents, so it’s tough to have good relations with anybody. But I’m close with all the guys from Belgium because we speak the same language. Also the French. I respect everybody but it’s not that you also go to have a drink with somebody during a tournament. But outside of the tournament, it’s very rare that you call somebody or have news from somebody. So it’s not the same if you have a friend at home.”
People Qualities Most Admired: “Well, I like the people who even if they are playing good and are big stars, they are very, very simple guys, very friendly guys. I like that a lot. I think even if you are a good player you have to respect everybody as well.”
Source:
http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Ten...Interview.aspx
Gilles Muller
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