Halys Reacts To Winning In Tallahassee

How does it feel to win your first ATP Challenger Tour title?

It’s a good step. Two years ago, I won my first Futures and now I won my first Challenger. I’m still ranked around No. 200, so it’s a good step, but it doesn’t mean I’m done.

How do you set your goals? Do you compare yourself to guys who are in the Top 10 or do you think about where you want to see yourself in the long term?

I’m looking at the future, three or four years later and where I want to be. I know I’m not the best junior because there are a lot of players in the Top 100, but maybe my career will be longer than them or my game will come later. Maybe one day I’ll be Top 100. I’m not too worried. I just need to be patient and keep working very hard.

How much of your game plan in the final was to return aggressively?

The return is one of my favorite shots, so I’m always trying to be aggressive with it. I didn’t want to get into long rallies with him, so the return and being aggressive at the beginning of the point was important. I know that sometimes I can miss easy balls with the return, like I did in the first set tie-break, so I just need to be patient and wait for the right opportunities.

How do you feel your movement and fitness is now?

I think it’s much better now. At the Australian Open, I won my first match after four hours. And in the final here, I was feeling good at the end of the match and Frances wasn’t moving as well. I don’t know if I’m in better shape than him, but I’m in better shape now than I was.

There were five straight breaks early in the third set. What was going on?

I think it was tough to play and tough to serve because we were both hitting well. But whether you win your serve or lose your serve, you just have to focus on winning the match. It doesn’t matter you if you lose your serve once or three times.

Where does this put you in terms of Roland Garros?

Now I’m in qualifying, but I hope to get a wild card into the main draw. I’m going to play the ATP Challenger Tour event in Bordeaux next. I just need to keep everything that was good this week, keep working hard and play every match as best as I can.

How will you celebrate your win?

I will go and see a little bit of Tallahassee tonight. A good drink, a good dinner and then back home tomorrow.