ROLAND GARROS

May 26, 2025

Holger Rune

Press Conference

H. RUNE/R. Bautista Agut

6-7, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Holger, can you walk us through the match today. What do you think was the key?

HOLGER RUNE: Yeah, was a good match. He's a great player, very experienced player. I had to find the rhythm. I thought I started well. Then had a little bit of a dip.

But then once we started the second set, I raised my level and kept going, just built it step by step and found some good tennis at the end.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How was that experience on Court 7? It was really noisy because Arthur Cazaux was playing in the beginning of the match. How was that experience for you?

HOLGER RUNE: Yeah, it was very noisy, very different conditions than practicing the whole week. Also it's been a while. It's been actually since I think US Open where I was complaining about it many, many years ago that I played on this kind of court.

Energy was nice. I played there also my first round as a junior when I won here. Hopefully that can be a good thing (smiling).

Yeah, no, it's okay. I got through. That's the most important.

Q. Do you mind being out on a court like that?

HOLGER RUNE: I mean, I prefer definitely a bigger court. As I spoke to also the ATP, today was tough because we had Gasquet with potentially his last match. Stan, defending champion. A lot of top-seeded, like Sinner and Carlos.

It was difficult. Yeah, but it is what it is.

Q. How are you feeling about your game generally right now?

HOLGER RUNE: Yeah, it's always difficult to say. Before the match there's obviously some doubts and everything. You don't know exactly where your level is.

I've been practicing well, but it's different. Honestly, I felt okay. First match is always tricky. But I think after the first set I played three very solid sets.

Again, he's a great player. He's very, very experienced. He knows how to play Grand Slam tennis. He's consuming his energy well over these long matches.

I think so did I. I was a bit stressed in the first set, but I managed to destress and found some more good tennis and more aggressive tennis throughout the match.

Q. Do you know much about your next opponent?

HOLGER RUNE: Yeah, I know him. We played actually in a future once long, long time ago. He's very explosive player, very aggressive player. Yeah, we know each other a bit from juniors. I think he's maybe two years older than me.

Q. Good player?

HOLGER RUNE: Big serve, as I remember. He wants to go big on a lot of shots. That's what I remember. Maybe he's changed a bit. We're definitely going to look into that, look more into the tactics, his percentages here and there, his game style. But that's all for tomorrow (smiling).