THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 29, 2026

Felix Gill

Press Conference

R. JODAR/F. Gill

6-3, 6-3, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Felix, obviously not the result you were looking for, but how was your Wimbledon experience?

FELIX GILL: Yeah, short, sweet (smiling). No, I really enjoyed it. Just hanging around some of the top guys in the world is a real privilege, and I'm thankful to have the opportunity to be able to play at Wimbledon and against such a great player. We all know how good a player he is and the results he's been coming off since he finished college.

Yeah, I thought I held my own today. Could have done a few things better. Maybe I win the match, maybe I don't, but no, really happy to be here.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. How much do you want to soak in the last couple of days, being around the grounds and practicing?

FELIX GILL: Yeah, I have been getting some good practices in. Two on the match court, so they were really nice on Court 7 especially with the Centre Court behind.

Yeah, being at Wimbledon, I have been here a few times but not in the singles, in the qualifying over the road. But to be able to play my first main draw, I'm really happy.

Q. What was that feeling like when you walk out for the first time in the main draw?

FELIX GILL: Yeah, a bit of nerves, but mainly excitement, really. Yeah, it's a real opportunity to try and present yourself on the world stage, especially as a wildcard, just to kind of get your name out there and try and grow and gain some experience.

Q. You have spoken before candidly about the past, everything your family has been through. Wonder how emotional it was before, after, or...

FELIX GILL: No, yeah, we try and leave that behind a little bit, but it always carries with you. But, no, all my family were here, and friends. I'm really glad they were able to be here with me.

Yeah, they're proud of me for the match and stuff. No, yeah, really happy to have them here.

Q. Do you look up to them during the match or is it tunnel vision?

FELIX GILL: No, they're a big support, so they try and get involved in stuff, obviously not taking their tennis advice, but yeah, looking up to my coach and stuff for that.

No, they support me really well.

Q. Does the last few days change much for you? Looking forward, what do you take from it all?

FELIX GILL: No, we'll just rest for a little bit and look at the schedule. I've got US Open quallies coming up, so we're just going to have a look at that and see if we're going to stay, get on the hard courts in Europe, or play a bit more grass. There is one in Nottingham, so yeah, we'll have to figure that out.

Q. Does it add to the motivation now you have experienced these last few days?

FELIX GILL: Oh yeah, massively, to see how looked after and stuff all the players are here, and to be part of that. And to be training at such a high level, with these players, they just teach you that on the court. You don't even have to talk to them, because their ball just teaches you lessons, really.

To have that, to be honest, over the last five weeks with the really high challenger events that are also on in the UK, I played Majchrzak who then the week after won the 250, yeah, played lots of really good players, played Gaston, Virtanen, who plays really good on grass. So yeah, it's been a great experience.

Practicing with all those players as well, it's good, and you can take that forward with you and try to do that to other people, really.

Q. What do you actually do tonight?

FELIX GILL: Just chill. I'll go and see my family for a bit. Yeah, just a normal day, to be honest, and figure things out for the next coming days.

Yeah, no, honestly it's pretty not that entertaining, but yeah, it's good (smiling).

Q. Are there any small bits you have noticed from anyone practicing being around here today, the top players that you might not have thought before? Anything slightly different that you can see how they prepare?

FELIX GILL: Yeah, I have been kind of all ears coming into this grass season. I wouldn't say it's my best surface, but I'm trying to get my level right on the grass, because being a Brit, it's obviously very important to try and get the right level on this surface.

Yeah, from experience in the past to then take it into this year, I really feel like I have proved myself that working the right way and doing the right things can give you some rewards.

So, yeah, and kind of like watching the top guys practice, how they're not really in the open stance on the forehand, they always have their front foot forward, and staying low on the ball, those type of things that I need to look at, because part of my game, that needs to improve.

Q. You spoke about some of the areas for improvement. What do you feel was the difference on the court today?

FELIX GILL: Yeah, I felt his ball speed was something I hadn't experienced much against players. You kind of are a bit reactive, and how he kind of suffocates you on the returns, his depth on the returns, the way he takes it early to then force pressure on you, to then be hitting up the first ball in the rally instead of being on the front foot.

Then, yeah, just the way -- I mean, I don't think he made too many errors. Yeah, his level of ball strike and the way he was just able to contain himself throughout the match, yeah, was impressive.

Q. Do you feel you were growing into the match?

FELIX GILL: Yeah, I felt I was getting a bit more used to his ball speed and figuring him out a bit more. Then I got an early break that was sort of coming from the end of the second set, to be honest. I was kind of building my way to break him, and it's kind of like a story. Sometimes it just happens, but usually you create that pressure on your opponent to break.

Yeah, unfortunately couldn't hold the game, had a few game points. Yeah, to be toe to toe and almost winning a set off a guy 20 in the world, yeah, I was really happy.