THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 3, 2026

Felix Auger-Aliassime

Press Conference

F. AUGER-ALIASSIME/M. Zheng

7-6, 6-2, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Felix, great win. Into the second week of Wimbledon. How does that feel?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Feels great. Feels great. First time in Centre Court. First time in main media room. It's beautiful here.

It was great tonight. Some good tennis. I enjoyed myself. Obviously that's what you want, also on top of dealing with the pressure, your inner battles of expectations and everything.

On top of it all, I think I was able to actually play a tennis that I enjoy and feel like I was myself out there and playing at a high level.

It was a great night. But like you said, start of the second week, it only gets tougher from here.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What did it feel like to be on Centre Court for the first time? How different is the feeling to the other big stadiums you've been on?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Well, once I get on it, it's a beautiful court. You're so focused on what you have to do, you're so focused on the very next point.

I think what's so unique is the walk to the court. Such a different feeling. That was for me the main difference. It's such a different feeling than a stadium at the US Open or Roland Garros. It feels like a club. It really does. You're walking in the hallway of a club. Even when I went out after the first set, I went to the toilets, it felt like I was not in a regular club, but a club with members and everything. That's quite unique.

Congratulations to the tournament for keeping that through the years. So it gives a very unique feeling to the players when they walk onto the court.

Q. You're playing at a high level, particularly the last two sets. When you're in the zone like that, what's going through your head?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Well, I think the trap is to think too far ahead. I just try to play the very next point at a good level. I try to take care of my serve. I feel like even more on grass, but I think overall, over the season, that's my job, is just to win my service games, throughout the set, to give myself opportunities to break the opponent's serve.

Today I felt like with his serving and the way I was feeling on the court, I was anticipating much better in the second and third set, his serve. I was able to, not only with my service games, put a lot of pressure on his serves. When everything clicks like this, obviously it's a good feeling.

Q. How proud are you of the level of tennis you're playing right now?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: It's very good. It's a nice feeling. Obviously it's what you work for. It's not only to win. I could have won my first three matches like in Paris where there was a lot of hard-fought matches, a lot of struggles. There's also some joy to playing good tennis and kind of dominating my opponents.

Now this is behind me already, so I'm going to look ahead and try to prepare for what's next.

Q. The stats say you're hitting your backhand line more this year than in previous years. Your thoughts on that and the development of that shot?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, every year I try to improve. Obviously the forehand is my natural shot from the baseline. So my backhand, each and every year I try to improve it, try to improve the precision, the speed, the change of direction.

I feel like throughout the years it comes more and more together. It's not perfect. But yeah, I'm happy with the progress I'm making there.

Q. In general, players are hitting the ball bigger and with more spin. As a player, do you feel that? Have you seen that progression from when you started?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Yeah, yeah, every year. I think there was a big, big change, I feel, when Carlos arrived onto the scene in 2021, 2022. Being so young and hitting so strong from both sides, I feel like even the players that were top players when I arrived, you could kind of be safe in some places on the court.

Now the current generation, the current players that we have dominating, there's just no space that is safe on the court. That's why they're the best players in the world.

It's the responsibility of myself and each player behind them to find their own way to match that. But yeah, you need to hit big on both sides now.

Q. What is your preview of tomorrow, Canada?

FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME: Ooh... I have to go with my team, of course. I hope a win. It's tough. It might cause a bit of tension in the family. My wife's dad is Moroccan. Might split the family for the night, but hopefully Canada gets the win. Doesn't matter the score, as long as we win.