ROLAND GARROS

May 28, 2025

Zheng Qinwen

Press Conference

ZHENG Q./E. Arango

6-2, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Qinwen, you're into the third round here. Just talk us through how you're feeling and your thoughts on today's match.

ZHENG QINWEN: I think today I performance really good. Especially I tried to be more aggressive on court. In general, I'm just happy with the win today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Would you say you feel different compared to last year since you won Olympic gold last summer in Paris? And your next opponent, I think it's going to be Victoria Mboko. How well do you know her, and what do you expect from this third round?

ZHENG QINWEN: I would say yes. In the last year, the Olympic Games gives me a lot of strength. And also me, I got a lot of inspiration from the win. That many matches was really difficult. I know what I'm capable to do through many fight.

For the next opponent, you know, she's quite young, so we don't get many information from her, of course. But I believe she's playing well here if she get through the third round.

Anyway, I just gonna focus during the match and fight until the end, whatever the opponent is, and that's it.

Q. Can you relate a bit to Victoria Mboko? Being 18 and you come on tour, you're getting great results very quickly. You have been there. What is it when it happens to you? How do you deal with that?

ZHENG QINWEN: I think every time I see young player coming, they have a lot of hungry, for sure. They fight a lot, for sure, because it's their dream place. But same as me, it's my dream place too.

Doesn't matter for me. When you arrive in the professional tour, you don't think about anymore about the age because everybody's the same. You just face another opponent. Doesn't matter for me.

If is world No. 1, whether it's 100, doesn't matter the age. My goal is just step on the court, enjoy the match, play my best tennis and fight. That's all.

Q. Are you the type of player who compares your level now to what it was the year previously? Is it, I used to do that better or I'm doing that better now, or do you not do that at all?

ZHENG QINWEN: I think you're asking me the things that I'm doing better than before?

Q. No, if you always compare yourself with what you were doing before or not at all.

THE MODERATOR: Like what your level was last year compared to this year.

ZHENG QINWEN: Okay.

I think I add more things in my game. Especially I'm trying to play more aggressive, and I kind of going to the net because I have been working hard on that things, because I feel it's time to add it in my game.

Q. The audience here in France, do you feel like you have become more popular and more supported in France since you won the Olympic gold last year? Generally, what do you think of the French audience? Often we have quite a bad reputation for welcoming foreign players and quite hostile. What's your take on this?

ZHENG QINWEN: Yes, of course after the Olympic Games, there is more French fans they know about me. If I don't play with a French player, of course they're going to support me. You know, if I play against French player, I'm ready that they are going to support the French player. Whatever, I just gonna keep fighting.

But I'm happy to get liked from the crowd, because always when the crowd is with you, of course you feel more energy, you can get more inspired from the crowd. You can get more motivation from them.