THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 3, 2026

Shintaro Mochizuki

Press Conference

S. MOCHIZUKI/R. Jodar

1-6, 7-6, 6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Shintaro, just your initial thoughts on the match today.

SHINTARO MOCHIZUKI: Yeah, I mean, match was crazy. I think Rafa started playing really well, especially on the returns. Wasn't serving bad at all. But he was just ripping all the returns.

I didn't have anything to adjust until middle of the second set. Somehow I tried to go for second serve a little bit more, and I think it got better. I started holding better and better. I was returning well from the beginning, so I just kept fighting, fighting.

I mean, last point on the second set was crazy. I mean, I don't know how I made that last volley, but I made it. It was lucky. And at the end, I was exhausted.

Just tried my best and happy that I could win the match.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. What do you feel now that you have to face Jannik Sinner in the next round? And can you tell us what kind of player you are, because many Italians, they don't know you.

SHINTARO MOCHIZUKI: Yeah, it's a strange feeling to play Jannik at Wimbledon, especially now this year. I was not winning much before coming here, and I don't know how I have been winning matches here.

I'm excited, but also, at the same time, I feel a little bit strange to be here in the round of 16. I just want to keep enjoying it.

As a player, I think I would say I play unique. Not as same as everyone else. I hit balls more flat and come into the net more than the other guys, I think, in this generation. Everybody hits so big, serves big. That's how they're winning.

But for me, that's not the way I think. I tried to do that, but it never worked out. I just kept trying to find my own way. This is how it is.

So I think I would say unique, my game is unique.

Q. How well do you know Jannik? What do you think about the prospect of being able to play him, I imagine, on the big show court?

SHINTARO MOCHIZUKI: Don't know about him much in person. I think he's just a celebrity for me. That's why I said it feels strange to play against him.

But I'm sure he's gonna play very quick and he's gonna try to destroy me, I think. I just want to do whatever I can to, let's say, like distract him 'cause just by hitting tennis balls, I don't think I can beat him at all.

I want to do something else to, you know, to make him uncomfortable, yeah.

Q. Like what?

SHINTARO MOCHIZUKI: Like hitting balls low, coming into the net. I don't think he's used to play against these kind of players.

Yeah, I think it's gonna be interesting or either he just destroys me (smiling).

Q. Regarding what you said before about adapting and making your own game style, you're part of the generation of '03 with Carlos and Holger. Was it during the time you played against the best players, or when did you decide you had to do other stuff to create your own unique playing style?

SHINTARO MOCHIZUKI: It's more from my coach when I was, like, let's say 14, 15, 16, when I was in juniors. I was just listening to him and kept playing. I think he was leading to me this way, how I play.

And at the time, I was not sure what I was doing. I was just enjoying tennis. I was just playing tennis. I think I was normal. But I was not, probably.

But 18, when I turned pro, I left my coach. Definitely, I mean, all the other coaches tried to let me hit balls heavier and harder. But it didn't work out. That's when I felt like I was not like the other guys, maybe.

It took, like, two, three years to, let's say, like, come back to my tennis. But now I think I'm back. So, you know, my coach in juniors I think led me this way.

Q. Regarding juniors, obviously Wimbledon champion on grass. Normally you think of a grass court specialist being tall, big serve. Why does your game fit so well on this surface? Could it benefit you against Jannik?

SHINTARO MOCHIZUKI: I mean, it's very hard to pass, I think, when the other guy comes into the net. I mean, for me, I feel it very difficult to pass.

So that is also why I think I play better than the other surfaces. And my balls are pretty low, so they don't bounce much on this surface.

But grass is not too fast. I think it's a bit slow, as well. I can also run to the balls, you know, run and try to get as many balls as I can.

So I think my footwork is also one of my strengths. I think that is why I think it's working, yeah.