THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 30, 2026

Katie Swan

Press Conference

K. SWAN/I.C. Begu

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Amazing job. We saw your emotion at the end. Where does this rank in, like, the most special moments of your career, given everything you've been through the last few years?

KATIE SWAN: I honestly think it's probably number one today. It was pure relief being able to finish that match, especially being 40-Love up and then being pegged back and saving breakpoint and being able to get over the line. It means so much.

It's been a rough few years for me, getting back to a point where I can play a slam again. Yeah, I played Begu here eight years ago, and that was the last time I won a match here. It's kind of full circle to play her again and win again today. So it means a lot.

Q. In those big moments, how much are you listening to the crowd? Are you using the crowd to try to focus in on each point?

KATIE SWAN: I tried to use them a bit today when I broke in the second set, to try to get them going, and it worked (smiling). That was good fun.

It means a lot to me to have the support of the crowd. In the end, I could really hear them. I was trying to stay focused myself, as well, because there was a lot of emotions going on in my head.

But, I mean, just I could hear the sound of everyone as excited as I was to get through that match. So that was really fun.

Q. You mentioned that you played her eight years ago. I was wondering what it was like when you got that draw, knowing you had got that win here eight years ago and comparing that to today, I guess, two different times in your career?

KATIE SWAN: Yeah, that was completely different times. It did feel like a full-circle moment for me. There is a lot that's happened. Feels like a different life eight years ago me to today.

And when I was doing research of her, again I did go back and watch that whole match from when I was, I think I was 19. So many things are different in both of our games, but I thought it would be nice for me to remember that win. In a way it's kind of felt quite special to play her again here.

It gave me, I know it was eight years ago, but it still gave me a sense of confidence that I had beaten her before. I knew she would remember that, too.

Yeah, it's so nice to have been able to win again.

Q. How aware of what happened yesterday were you with 10 defeats and what happened to Emma and Jack? How does it feel becoming I guess the first British player to be in the second round?

KATIE SWAN: Yeah, obviously yesterday was a tough day for the Brits, to see that Emma and Jack both had to pull out. I wish them all the best. I know them both well. And I have had my fair share of injuries, so I know how hard it is for them to have to pull out of Wimbledon. It's the worst time to be injured.

The main thing is wishing them all the best and hope that they get, both of them, and also Sonay as well, they've all had to miss a lot of tennis this year. I hope they all get healthy again soon.

To be honest, I'm just so happy with my win today. And yeah, I will just be looking forward to my next match.

Q. Two years ago when you hit pause on playing and you have been through all of the back and the neck issues, did you think you'd be back here, back here winning and sitting there smiling after a great victory?

KATIE SWAN: If I'm honest, no. It was a really hard time to imagine getting out of. It was around August/September of 2024. I took about eight months out and it took me a really long time to get back to a place where I felt like physically I could compete at all at a professional level again.

Having to start in April last year with no ranking and playing 15Ks in Sharm El Sheikh, it's a long way off being able to be playing in slams. I had to kind of really accept that that's where I was and if I wanted to get back here I'd just have to take it one step at a time.

I'm very fortunate to be from a Grand Slam nation where we have the opportunity to be awarded wildcards. I'm extremely grateful to the All England Club for giving me this opportunity. I would also say I'm proud of myself for putting myself in a position to get back to this point.

Q. In 2018, I'm sure at 19 you didn't know what was going to come in your career. What would that version of Katie think of this Katie that's been through the injuries and coaching in America and starting from the bottom just to win here again?

KATIE SWAN: Yeah, I think it would be hard to believe at that time if you told her what I was going to go through over the next eight years, and even that the next win would be in eight years' time.

But I think just knowing that I kept going, and I didn't stop even when things were really difficult, and I gave myself another chance to be on this stage, I think she'd be proud of who I am today, to be back here.

Q. I'm sure there were times over the last few years that you didn't feel like this moment would come, but now that you are here, what are your kind of ambitions now in tennis? You will have to, I guess, go back to the Sharm El Sheikh kind of places, there will be more of that grind, but what do you still feel like you can still achieve, because 27 is still young?

KATIE SWAN: Oh, you think it's still young? I'll take that (smiling).

Yeah, well, to be honest, the last year when I came back, I tried to have the mindset of being more curious of what I could achieve being healthy, rather than putting too many expectations on where I could be or should be ranking-wise.

I think I have exceeded my expectations in the last year so far. But as tennis players, we're always looking for more regardless of how we do.

You know, I'm in round 2 of Wimbledon now. My next goal will be winning my round 2 match and hopefully getting into Round 3 for the first time.

And beyond Wimbledon, I'd still love to break into the top 100. That's always been a goal of mine in tennis. I'm a long way off still at the moment, but I'm getting closer each week that I play. I have just been able to start playing higher events in the last couple of months.

I'll re-evaluate my schedule after Wimbledon and see where we're at. But I'm happy that I'm at least putting myself in the position to play bigger tournaments and playing in the Grand Slams again.

Q. When you were going through those times when you were maybe considering the possibility you might never go back to tennis, what did you think? Did you begin to think about what you might do instead? What were those kind of thoughts about?

KATIE SWAN: Yeah, I mean, I definitely did start kind of looking into stuff. I did some coaching in the U.S. I think it was hard for me really to move past tennis, because in my head, I didn't really want to stop. I just felt like it was being forced on me because of my back issues.

So that was kind of hard that emotionally I didn't really move past being able to play, because I never fell out of love with the sport. I just couldn't stay healthy for long enough.

So I think in the back of my mind, I was trying to enjoy coaching and do what I could to earn some money, but it was not really fulfilling for me in that moment, and I knew there was a lot more I could still give if I could just find a way to resolve my health issues.

Yeah, so I'm really glad I got through that.

Q. So there is a chance you could be the only British player to get through today. How much pressure does that add to your game?

KATIE SWAN: Oh, I don't really feel any pressure in that sense. You know, I'm just so overwhelmingly happy to be in round 2. For me, this is, in the context of my career, this is a huge moment.

I play Madison Keys. I just saw out there that I play her next round. She's a great player who is a slam champion. She won Eastbourne last week, so it's going to be a really difficult match. But the last time we played, it was very close.

I hope we get a good court and then I can go out there and give my best, and yeah, hopefully get the crowd going and see if I can get through that one.

Q. You spoke about all the emotions going through your head during the match. I suppose there is a lot to digest for you, but what does just being back here in the first place and then winning, does that change how you feel about yourself now?

KATIE SWAN: I wouldn't say so. I have been pretty content with myself for a while now, knowing that I have been doing the day-to-day work to stay healthy and give my best in each tournament that I was playing.

Like I said, I think my acceptance for where I'm at over the last year has been my biggest strength, knowing that I'm doing what I can in that moment rather than looking too far ahead or feeling like I should be somewhere else.

So I'm obviously very happy to have won today, but in a way, it feels, I feel a sense of calm that this is what I deserve, as well.

Q. You mentioned about your back problems you have had. Is everything you did that helped you recover, was there a change of physio, was there something that really got you back to where you are now?

KATIE SWAN: Yeah, I went to, I was in the U.S. doing some coaching, and a guy that I knew there who is now my coach out in the U.S., he recommended a doctor that had helped him and a few other players that he knew get through difficult injuries they couldn't figure out what the source was.

He ended up doing a nerve kind of treatment on me. It was very painful. But he found that my nerves weren't functioning properly. It was, yeah, it wasn't very enjoyable, but I spent a couple of weeks with him, and it really, really helped. So that's been kind of the turning point for me, was that treatment.

Q. Intensive over a two-week period?

KATIE SWAN: Yeah, there were definitely tears from how painful it was at times. But it really helped when I went back on court after seeing him.

Q. You mentioned about the court. Would you like to play Madison on Centre? Potentially how special would that be?

KATIE SWAN: Yeah, that would be an unbelievable experience for me to play on Centre. I think the biggest court I have played on is 2, against Bencic a few years ago. Look, I'll be happy with whatever court I get. Playing at Wimbledon is amazing in itself.

Yeah, I guess I'll wait and see what the schedule says. I mean, yes, obviously playing on Centre would be a dream.