THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 6, 2026

Elise Mertens

Press Conference

E. MERTENS/M. Bouzkova

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Elise, great win today. Give us your thoughts on that match.

ELISE MERTENS: Yeah, I mean, it was a tight match. Didn't start the way I wanted. It was a bit windy on court. Wind came from everywhere.

But yeah, I think pretty solid. I mean, she's also a solid player, so a lot of rallies, a lot of nerve-wracking rallies.

Yeah, of course I'm very pleased that I won in two sets. Eventually had a good game at 5-4 in the second, I could close it out, which was really important I think.

But yeah, it was a little bit of a roller coaster.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Did you ever doubt you could be back at this stage of a Grand Slam?

ELISE MERTENS: Well, of course, a quarterfinals, I mean, you could dream about it. It's not everyone plays a quarterfinal. I think it's been a while definitely. This is my fourth time fourth round here. Never played a quarterfinals.

So yeah, I was thinking maybe this is my chance. Who knows, my last chance. Maybe not, maybe yes. But, yeah, I'm over 30 now. To eventually get it done, play a quarterfinals, is something amazing.

I think I really had to believe in myself to do it today.

Q. You've reached the fourth round many times. The second week, does it start to feel like a very long tournament for you? What is the struggle of reaching that quarterfinal?

ELISE MERTENS: Many matches (smiling).

There's definitely not a struggle to be here in the second week. For me, I'm motivated. I'm still motivated, of course, because you never know where it ends. I think the key is to believe in yourself, to take the chances that you can get.

Of course, Marie has had a very good grass season. I knew that from the beginning, of course. No, it's definitely not a struggle to be here.

Q. You played so many finals in doubles in Grand Slams. Does it help you to handle the pressure of a second week in singles?

ELISE MERTENS: Definitely. I would say definitely that it helps a lot. Playing finals in a Grand Slam in doubles is very nerve-wracking. You win or you lose that day.

Yeah, that definitely helped to calm my nerves today a little bit, too, to eventually take that second set 6-4, to serve it out. So yeah, that really helped me today.

As I said, it might be my only chance to play a quarters now. I'm soaking it all in. Yeah, great atmosphere on Court 2, too.

Q. Was your doubles partner in the box?

ELISE MERTENS: Well, she's playing mixed today, so I don't think she was in the box.

Q. For instance, Sara Errani is also in Jasmine's box. She's more than just a doubles partner.

ELISE MERTENS: Yeah, you see that with a couple players. Of course, it's very nice to see because it's such a competitive world. It's nice to see some players supporting each other.

But my doubles partner had mixed doubles today. Her sitting two hours in the sun before doubles might not be ideal.

Q. Six years since you last reached the singles quarterfinal. In that time you've won so many doubles Grand Slams. Is it exciting getting to a singles quarterfinal when you're used to winning doubles trophies? How have you balanced the two disciplines over the years?

ELISE MERTENS: Of course, it is very different, of course, doubles and singles. But I'm very happy to do well in both. Of course, I'm on tour for so many years already, played some good singles, good doubles.

Yeah, to manage both... I mean, unfortunately I lost doubles yesterday, played two hours, but I was still fresh for today. But yeah, to play another doubles today would be a bit much maybe.

So yeah, it's just a balance that I think throughout the years I could manage. But yeah, just focusing on singles now and being in the quarterfinals feels amazing.

Q. You've always been a complete player. Had the record of the most matches won on the tour. Do you feel you had to evolve? Do you feel the player you are is much different than the last time you reached the quarters?

ELISE MERTENS: I feel different. I think tennis definitely evolves. You have to play big sometimes. I think you have to take some risks. Not that we didn't take risks years ago, but I do feel like the balls are a bit faster, much more hard-hitting movement. I mean, you don't really get a lot of free points. Also serving-wise and return-wise, I feel like the level is there from all the girls.

It's never really an easy match, as you can see in my rounds. Second round I played against a young player. I struggled a little bit in the first set.

So yeah, I would say that I try to improve every day, if I can, every week. Tennis has the chances to do it because we have a lot of tournaments. You try to peak, of course, in the Grand Slam, for sure.

My mentality is that if I'm playing, I try to still improve. I think this is the result of it.

Q. At what point in your career did you start to feel comfortable on grass? Was it always a surface you took to naturally?

ELISE MERTENS: Not really (smiling). Actually, of course, I played juniors on grass. I played Wimbledon juniors, which seems a long time ago.

But yeah, I always try to adjust very well to grass. It always takes me a couple of days, week, or two weeks to eventually get a little bit... Yeah, I think grass is a surface that you have to grow on, especially coming from clay.

I played 's-Hertogenbosch, I played Berlin, and I was feeling, okay, I need to adjust a little bit more. I played in Bad Homburg. I felt way more comfortable already. Result maybe wasn't there, but now it is.

I think after a while it comes naturally to me.

Q. Talking about doubles, have you been following what's going on with the men's side? ATP wanting to...

ELISE MERTENS: I'm not really on my phone, yes. You know that I don't look at my opponents for the next rounds. I just look at my next opponent.

But yeah, I don't look at many things when I'm playing a Grand Slam or even tournaments in general. But I did see a little bit about that they wanted to cut the draws in half and put a little bit more prize money to the singles players.

I mean, it's difficult to comment actually as also a doubles player. I think doubles is really interesting. If you commercialize it well, it could be a very interesting sport. Yeah, I think it's very entertaining, too. It's quick reactions, volleys. Sometimes beautiful points.

Yeah, it's a bit sad, I would say.