OMNIUM BANQUE NATIONALE

July 28, 2025

Kayla Cross

Press Conference

K. RAKHIMOVA/K. Cross

4-6, 6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Not the result you were hoping for today, but first main draw match in Canada here. How did you feel on court?

KAYLA CROSS: I'm very thankful for the wild card and to be able to play here, and Tennis Canada's support means a lot. I think that helped me play really good tennis out there.

Obviously not the result I wanted, but I think I showed a good level, and hoping that as years go on, that the results get better and better.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. If there were one lesson you take away from your run here, what will it be?

KAYLA CROSS: I think that I can play at this level, that I have the level to do it. Just she has more experience. She's been in these scenarios more. So just learning that and believing in myself that I have the level to compete at this level and just trying to deal with the harder moments, the more important moments a little bit better in the future.

Q. Would you say that your serve was both your best friend and your worst enemy in this match? With all the six aces and eight double faults, it went up and down for you, especially in the second and third sets.

KAYLA CROSS: Yeah, I mean, it's definitely a love-hate relationship in that match, but I tried to go for big serves, tried to do a lot with it because I am playing someone who is top-100, who is a very experienced player. I have to take risks in those moments.

Sometimes that would end up in a double fault, but then as you said, on the flip side, there were some aces. There were some easy points that I got off of it. So definitely in the future trying to clean that up a little bit so it's more on the love side of the relationship.

But, yeah, overall I think kind of what you said, love-hate in that match.

Q. Of course, when you play a game, you always want to win. You guys are competitors, but was that also a learning experience for you to play on Centre Court here in Montreal not too far from home, sort of?

KAYLA CROSS: Yeah, I mean, for sure. It was an amazing experience. I'm very grateful and proud that I got to experience that, and the crowd was amazing, always cheering for me no matter what the score was. I think I'm going to take a lot of good and positive things about this and try to learn from the stuff that didn't go so well and come back stronger.