Carreño: "Seeing my son watching me play makes it all worthwhile what I have suffered"

Pedro de Pablos | 29 May 2026 | 16.04

Carreño: "Seeing my son watching me play makes it worthwhile what I have suffered"

Streaming French Open live tennis

🎾 Quentin Halys vs Alexander Zverev

Sign up with Bet365 here
Make your first deposit of at least €5
Go to the “Live” section and watch every match

Watch the match on Bet365

After months of suffering and sacrifice, and overcoming a calvary with injuries, Pablo Carreño is back. The Spanish tennis player has known how to endure to defeat Thiago Agustín Tirante in the third round of Roland Garros 2026, sealing his spot in the round of 16. Upon finishing, he went through the press conference and talked about all the sacrifice he had made to return to the second week of a Grand Slam.

Additionally, Pablo Carreño also analyzed a possible match against Rafa Jódar in the round of 16, in case the Spanish player manages to surpass Alex Michelsen. He compared his evolution with that of Joao Fonseca, discussed his choice to go to university, unlike the Brazilian, and how he noticed the talent he had since he was a sparring partner for the Spanish Navy during the Davis Cup. Furthermore, a duel between them would ensure a Spanish player in the quarterfinals of Roland Garros.

Carreño talks about the heat and court conditions at Roland Garros

Yes, it is true that it is very hot, but I think with these conditions, I benefit a bit because my serve becomes more effective. The serving speed of these players is at 240, 230, and above 220 all the time. The power and speed of the ball suit me. The ball bounces quite a lot, which I believe helps my game a bit. It is true that today the court, I don't know, seemed like they had created a swimming pool overnight or something because it was super humid. I don't understand how we have had a week at over 30 degrees, and today the court seemed like we were playing on the beach.

I swear it was a bit of a strange situation; when we started the match, the balls were completely muddy, but well, those were the conditions at the time. As the match went on, it is true that because it was very hot, the court dried up a bit, but in the first set, I don’t think they watered it at all. At the end of the first set, they didn't water it at all because the court was so humid.

Benefit for his game

Well, I think those initial conditions did not benefit me, but afterward, it was better for me. The truth is that I am very comfortable throughout the tournament, I am feeling very good, playing quite well from both sides: backhand and forehand. In the end, it is important that my serve also helps me a bit, gives me a point occasionally, and saves me from having to rally too much.

Feelings after the calvary with injuries

I feel very proud. I believe that I have to celebrate and be very happy because I have been through very difficult moments. There were so many people behind me supporting me and making those tough times a little easier, but still, in the end, the effort you have to make to come back to this level again, to physically recover everything I once had, is not easy at all. Seeing myself in these situations again, finishing the match today, and watching a video of my son with a racket in hand watching me play, well, obviously that makes everything I have suffered worthwhile.

Return to the second week of a Grand Slam after his injury

Well, when I returned from the injury, the goal was not to be in the second week of a Grand Slam. The goal was to enjoy being on the court again, to play again without the elbow pain that has caused me so much suffering. It is clear that later, seeing that I no longer had that pain and that I could play consistently, expectations and hopes grow, and you go looking for new goals. Returning to the top 100 again, and once you get there, playing the Grand Slams at full throttle again. I didn't come to Roland-Garros thinking about reaching the second week; I came a bit worried about the shoulder issue that bothered me in Valencia, but well, no pressure, play well, enjoy, and here we are.

Emergence of new talents like Jódar

I don't know if I am the ideal person to analyze that because I have not been on the circuit continuously for a long time, so I cannot see how young players are preparing or what their daily lives are like in these tournaments. But well, it is true that many young players have been emerging lately. Not only Kouamé, who is having a great tournament here in Paris, but players aged 19, 20, 21, or 22, there are many, I believe that in this Grand Slam, they are already showing their potential, and they certainly have a long career ahead. They still have a lot to learn for sure; I don't know what they eat or what they are working on, but well, it is clear that they come with a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of power in their shots. They play very joyfully, and perhaps our generation, like mine, we are already asking for some extra time, giving a few extra rounds now and then, but it is true that they are coming on very strong.

Shoulder issues

No, the shoulder is fine, I did not have any discomfort in the shoulder today. Obviously, you could see that I served quite hard because there was no other way to win today, and the shoulder reacted very well, I did not have any problems. Yesterday, I also felt quite good in the shoulder, so well, very happy about that aspect, I don't think it will give me any more problems.

Possible round of 16 against Jódar

I coincided with him at a Davis Cup in Valencia, I think it was, where he came as a sparring partner, and obviously, there we already saw that he was still very skinny. He is still skinny, but compared to how he was at that time, he has already filled out, and we could see that he played very well. With those levers he has, those powerful shots, he doesn’t lose track at any time, so I think he already showed a lot of promise.

Then he went to university, and I think it has been very good for him because he has grown perhaps a bit away from the spotlight, compared to Fonseca, who is the same age. Fonseca did not go to university, but he did. We have had Fonseca in the spotlight for a year, year and a half, and he has made a tremendous leap in level and confidence very quickly. From the very beginning, we saw that he did not hesitate. He came to Barcelona, had a great tournament, went to Madrid, had a great tournament, went to Rome, had a great tournament... and for now, he is also having a great tournament here, so well, I hope he wins today, and in the next match, I can face him.

The round of 16, prize or opportunity?

Well, I haven't thought about it, I haven't had time to think about it. I only had time to rejoice because I have been through very tough moments, and this result is really rewarding. I think I have to take it as a prize; after all, opportunities, I have had many in my career, sometimes I have taken advantage of them very well, other times maybe they have slipped away. Each tournament is an opportunity, obviously a Grand Slam is a juicier opportunity, but I believe it is a prize for me to be able to be back in the second week again.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Carreño: "Ver a mi hijo viéndome jugar hace que merezca la pena lo que he sufrido"

ATP