CINCH CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 21, 2023

Ryan Peniston

Queens Club

Press Conference

H. RUNE/R. Peniston

6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Ryan, not the result you were hoping for, but still, against Rune, top-10 player, any positive things you can take from the match?

RYAN PENISTON: Yeah. I mean, I was happy with how I competed, my attitude. I was pleased with how I fought.

Yeah, sometimes, I mean, it just doesn't go the way you want. Yeah, hats off to Holger. He played a clean match today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. About your wildcard at Wimbledon, congratulations for that. How excited are you? Were you worried at some points during the last year that things like that might not happen for you again?

RYAN PENISTON: Thanks. Yeah, I'm over the moon with it. This is awesome news. I'm so pleased. And yeah, definitely, some points last year, end of last year when I had my bad injury, you know, I didn't know what the future held, to be honest. So to, yeah, to be sitting here and be playing at Wimbledon in a couple weeks' time is amazing.

Q. You played Holger Rune one year ago. What was the difference between the Rune you played last year and the one you were playing today?

RYAN PENISTON: Yeah, I mean, Holger, felt like he was more comfortable on the grass today. He served really well today. I didn't really get much look into any of his service games.

Yeah, his attitude was great. He seemed pretty composed. Yeah, hats off to him. He seems to have improved quite a few bits of his game.

Q. You mentioned obviously the wildcard. What does kind of the rest of your summer look like now? How much do you kind of gain, use as a springboard, playing against a top-10 player like that and going right up against him?

RYAN PENISTON: Yeah, the more matches I get to play against these guys at that level is a positive for me. So to try to get used to that level, used to playing those guys is great. Makes me want to do it more.

Q. In terms of the rest of your summer now, what does next week look like, and obviously Wimbledon, what's the plan? Is there hope it can be that springboard that it maybe should have been a year ago?

RYAN PENISTON: Yes, I will be playing Eastbourne next week, I don't know whether main draw or qualifying. Then, yeah, Wimbledon. I'm looking forward to both tournaments. They're great opportunities for me.

Yeah, it's high priority for me to stay healthy and be able to compete after the grass season. That's the main thing for me.

Q. In terms of your ranking at the moment, you're 261, am I correct? How realistic are you with the focus getting to the top 100, maybe not Wimbledon, probably end of the year, could that be achieved?

RYAN PENISTON: Yeah, why not? I mean, definitely. I'm looking to get my ranking as high as possible, and then, yeah, hopefully after the grass I'll be able to compete as best I can like I have been and rise up the rankings like I want to.

Q. When you said about your wrist and not knowing what the future held, were you a bit worried at one point you might not get back to playing at all when you were going through that period of time without playing?

RYAN PENISTON: Yeah, 100%. I had some really tough times on the court. You know, I had thoughts of never being able to be back here or be back at Wimbledon.

So it was really tough. I was just, yeah, really happy to be able to compete at these places again.