THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 1, 2025

Zheng Qinwen

Press Conference

K. SINIAKOVA/Z. Qinwen

7-5, 4-6, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: We'll start with questions in English.

Q. This is the third time that Katerina has gotten the best of you on grass in the last three years. What makes her such a challenge to play on this surface?

ZHENG QINWEN: I think maybe it's me. I should do better in my service game. I mean, I don't consider that such a challenge for me to play on grass. Maybe it's I just should put my level a bit more better today because I give her a lot when is my service game, especially I was leading 5-3 in the first set. At that moment, my concentration were not there. Was a pity.

Also in the third set I gave her so easy away my service game. That's the key on grass...

Q. Pegula, who lost earlier today, said although she could have won if she played a best-of-five, she wouldn't want to play a best-of-five. Do you think you would have preferred a best-of-five in these circumstances? Do you think you could have won today?

ZHENG QINWEN: I never think on that. It's funny.

Well, I just think if I could do it better, my service game, and put more first serve on court today, I could have more chance to won the match. Especially when it's my service game, I give her too many chances, and she break me in the early third set. I think that's very dangerous, you know, to play on grass, because you don't get too much chance to come back.

Then, yeah, that's all I can say. You know, to play best-of-five is never going to happen, so...

Q. It's the third year in a row that you've not been able to get over the hump at Wimbledon. Is that on your mind, losing the first round? Why do you think it's not clicking here at Wimbledon?

ZHENG QINWEN: Well, the match today I lost, for sure I can learn a lot about it. But I'm not going to let this enter in my mind, because you know, it's just one match I lost in Wimbledon, another one.

I think she play good. I didn't play that good enough today. I gave her a lot of easy mistake. Then today the weather is really hot, and I really believe I should put more focus there on the court.

I mean, yeah, that's all I can say because I already lost here, so I just kind of focus in the coming future.

Q. She won 85% of her net points. I mean, stats aside, it's quite clear how good of a player she is at the net. She also has the doubles pedigree as well. Was that part of the issue for you today? Particularly when she was able to take advantage, she was able to finish up at the net, was that particularly suffocating on the surface for you and made it hard to play?

ZHENG QINWEN: I don't think so. I haven't read the statistic yet, but I believe if I read, I have really low first-serve percentage. It doesn't matter first set, second set, or third set. I really believe my first serve is maybe around 40-something. I didn't check yet, so I don't know.

You know, you always play with second serve after really difficult. I really believe today I should take the chance better. If I think about it, I have a lot of chance in my hand, but it's just I didn't took it. Simple as that.

Q. Is playing on grass, is it a technical challenge or physical challenge, or is it more of a mental challenge, considering you don't play on it very often?

ZHENG QINWEN: You know, I believe if I get through the first match, I will start to play better and better. The problem is the first match for me is complicated. But also for myself, I make the match complicated.

You know, I was leading 5-3 in the first set, as I said before. But one more time, I'm not going to let this enter my head. It's just another match I lost here on grass, okay. I'm just going to see what's coming in the future, and I will always keep fighting my tennis, and let's see.

Q. You mentioned the weather. I'm just wondering how much you feel like the heat out there, because it's so warm, how much does it impact your game?

ZHENG QINWEN: For me, if I start to talk about heat, you know, sounds like excuse, because I believe it's the same for the opponent. If I'm not able to keep focus today, you know, that's my mistake. Maybe I should work more to keep focus in the heat.

I'm not going to say one more time how hot is the weather today. I just going to put the view on myself. Let's just say that I didn't took my chance. First match in the grass was difficult for me. You know, I lost today, simple as that.