CINCH CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 19, 2023

Ryan Peniston

Queens Club

Press Conference

R. PENISTON/U. Humbert

6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the press conference of Ryan Peniston. First of all, congratulations, Ryan. It has not been an easy year for you, but you managed to have a straight-set win today against a very good opponent. How did you manage to do that?

RYAN PENISTON: Yeah, thanks. It's been, yeah, quite a difficult year. After last grass season, I had quite a bad injury to my wrist, which was tough to take, but I learnt a lot. Then, yeah, I was really excited to come back here and play and, you know, really happy with the result of today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Can you clarify how long you were out for? How did the injury happen? How low did you get during that time?

RYAN PENISTON: Yeah, I mean, so I had an injury to my right wrist basically due to -- I mean, I played a lot of matches on the grass and it was heavy conditions. Just, yeah, human body breaks down sometimes.

So I was out for six, seven weeks like not doing anything, and then the wrist injury lasted for about 17 weeks total. Yeah, I mean, definitely low points. You know, not being able to play the sport I love, it was tough. But, yeah, like I said, I learned a lot during that time.

Q. How frustrating was it? You made your breakthrough last summer and then you just weren't able to kick on from there.

RYAN PENISTON: Yeah, it was difficult. After, yeah, reaching a career-high ranking after the grass season, I was feeling great and I wanted to push on, but my body wasn't able to. That's something I had to accept and deal with.

You know, it kind of gave me more motivation to come back this year and try and do it all over again.

Q. Ryan, coming into this tournament, you know you've got a lot of points to defend. You've obviously gone halfway to defending them now. Was that in your mind at all that you lose first round here and you drop out of top 300 and everything goes from there? Was that in your head?

RYAN PENISTON: Yeah, you know, I think I'd be lying if it wasn't -- it's probably been in my head for a while, and I think just have to try and deal with those thoughts in a way that lets you compete well and perform like you want to.

Q. Is this now your favorite court to play on? If not, is it one that's a bit closer to us in Essex?

RYAN PENISTON: (Smiling.) Yeah, it's pretty tough for me to say at this point that it's not my favorite court. I've definitely had some amazing emotions out there. Yeah, had so much fun on that court. It would be tough, but yeah, center court or Thorpe Bay and Southend Lawn, they're tough to beat as well.

Q. Well done today. What is it about this court? Is it having like the British fans? Is it even not intimidation factor but the confidence that you have going out with higher-ranked opponents and they know you have beaten higher-ranked opponents before?

RYAN PENISTON: Thanks. Yeah, you know, just coming out on the court, you're always nervous, but I felt less nervous than I was last year, which was a nice thing. I feel like I was able to enjoy it a bit more this time, just because I kind of knew what to expect, but also, yeah, have some fun at the same time.

Q. I just wonder, there has been a lot of talk about Andy Murray getting a seeding at Wimbledon, and you beating your opponent today gave him a helping hand in that. Did that factor into your thoughts at all? Any kind of British teamwork going on there?

RYAN PENISTON: I actually had no idea (smiling). Yeah, you telling me that, just yeah, was the first time. But happy to help Andy in any way. He's awesome and what he's doing is unbelievable stuff.

Q. Obviously there have been some, again, as last summer, some pretty good British results on the grass. Is it just a grass court thing? Do you have any idea why we seem to do well, I suppose starting to be a pattern, perhaps what we need to do to do well at other times, equally well?

RYAN PENISTON: I think a major part of the Brits doing well, I mean, we have grown up playing on this surface, you know, and myself, I grew up playing every summer on the grass. So that could give us an edge against other players.

But yeah, I see they have been doing amazing in Britain, especially last week, the girls. Jodie and Katie and everyone there did awesome.

I think I feel pretty positive about how, you know, the men and the women are at the moment. They are pushing each other, and I think everyone just needs to keep being positive and keep pushing each other, yeah, in that way.

Q. Looking ahead now with a win under your belt, is there a target in mind for both the Championships and the rest of the grass tournaments? A bit more freedom now with that kind of win under your belt?

RYAN PENISTON: Yeah, it feels great to win, definitely, any time of the year. But no, I'm trying to do my best and take each match, you know, each match by itself.

So just, yeah, enjoying myself and why not, you know, try and win every one I can.

Q. On the wrist injury, sounds like it was an overuse problem from last summer, which you could obviously aggravate again by playing more grass court tennis. What do you do to try to stop your body reacting in a negative way?

RYAN PENISTON: Yes, I have learnt quite a bit about my body from the injury. So in terms of physio treatment and taking care of myself, it's a high priority for me and especially during this time. So using what I have learnt and, yeah, gonna try and do that the best I can.

Q. There was a lot of talk last summer about how successful you were obviously and the money you made out of it as well as the ranking points. Has your life changed appreciably since then? Do you feel like you're living a different, not necessarily lifestyle, but how are you different from the Ryan Peniston who started the grass last year?

RYAN PENISTON: I hope I'm not too different (smiling). But, no, I don't feel like a lot has changed in tennis. You know, in the life we have we do a lot of the same stuff. You know, we do the same things every day, like training-wise and practicing.

But I'd say maybe I have taken a bit more confidence from it, but apart from that, no, nothing has changed.

Q. (Off microphone.)

RYAN PENISTON: Yeah, pretty much (smiling).

Q. Cressy or Rune next. Obviously you played him in Eastbourne last summer. Do you take confidence from the result that day?

RYAN PENISTON: Yeah, definitely. If Holger Rune, if he wins, then yeah, I will be looking forward to playing him. But also Cressy and I have played a long time ago in the futures, so I'll be looking forward to playing whoever it is. But I definitely, yeah, definitely take confidence from matches in the past.