ROLAND GARROS

May 30, 2022

Qinwen Zheng

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/Q. ZHENG

6-7, 6-0, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: It was a tough battle, but I'm sure there's a lot that you can be very proud of this tournament and of this match. What are the positive things that you take with you?

QINWEN ZHENG: Well, in this match actually it's tough to show my level today. I got really pained stomach and I try my best, but it's just, in the second and third set, I couldn't, I didn't have power to scream one, "Come on" even and it was really tough, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please?

Q. Just talking through the first set, if you could, what do you think that you were able to do so well in that first set in order to get it?

QINWEN ZHENG: Oh, in first set I just trying to play my tennis and I didn't felt the pain in stomach in the first set. So I'm able to really get there and to say, "Come on," to have the good attitude and to have some blood in the match.

And after, when the match goes and by the time and I just have like too pain in stomach. And I want to fight, I really, really wants to fight, but I just don't have power and it was really tough.

I couldn't show my tennis today in the second and third set, even in the first set, I'm really not happy with my performance, actually, yeah.

Q. Just wanted to check, you said your stomach? The problem you had a problem with your stomach? Was there also something with the leg, because you had it taped up.

QINWEN ZHENG: Yeah, the leg was, yeah, it was also tough. That compared to the stomach was easy, yeah, the most bother me today to I cannot play my tennis is stomach was too much painful. But I really give my best on court, it's just, it's tough, yeah.

Q. Was that something that had been a problem for you or it happened today during the match?

QINWEN ZHENG: Oh, it's before the match already, yeah, before the match. Girls things.

Q. If you had to point to maybe the biggest strength of your opponent, what would it be and do you consider herself as the favorite of the tournament?

QINWEN ZHENG: If I don't talk about today I'm happy with my performance all this run. And to play against the No. 1 in the world, I feel really I enjoy on the court. If I don't have my stomach I think I could enjoy more, like to run better and to hit more harder, to give more effort on court. It's pity that I couldn't give that what I want to give today.

And, yeah, I just want next time I play against her I have like perfect shape and go for next fight, yeah.

Q. You are kind of upset before the match or nervous or not and that's why maybe you had some problem with stomach or no?

QINWEN ZHENG: No, it's just girls, girls things, you know. The first day is always so tough and then, you know, I have to do sport and I always have so much pain in the first day. And I couldn't go against my nature. I wish I can be a man on court, but I cannot in that moment when I say, I really wish I can be man that I don't have to suffer from this. It's tough, yeah.

Q. You said that you were not happy with your performance, but you're one of the few people that's been able to win a set off of Iga and you impressed a lot of people in the way that you played today. What do you think was the reason why you were able to win that set?

QINWEN ZHENG: Well, actually, I feel she have a really good forehand on clay, a lot of spin, she's able to put me out of the court. But if you talk about only tennis, I think the level was not too much like big different.

Of course I have my own weapons. I think my serve is, I have better speed than her. And if you talk, I think we both move not too bad on clay.

Yeah, there is things I see I have to improve in the match, but, yeah, the tennis, when you play a match on court it's not only about tennis, it's about emotion, about your body. And, yeah, I think that if I can give more energy and more blood, more come on today on court with more better shape I think the match can be something different.

But now it's too late to see everything, it's what happened, and I have to accept this and go for next match.

Q. With your performance what has been the impact in your country according to what you've done?

QINWEN ZHENG: Actually, I close all the information and just focus, I don't really know in what's happening outside, yeah. I think I will go answer everybody today after I lost. Yeah, because if I continue winning I will not answer until, yeah.

Q. How comfortable are you on grass?

QINWEN ZHENG: On grass? I think on grass it's totally different than clay. You need to have like different way how to play on grass. It's the first time also for me as a pro to play on grass. I think it will be interesting for me, yeah.