CINCH CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 21, 2023

Holger Rune

Queens Club

Press Conference

H. RUNE/R. Peniston

6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Well done, Holger. Ryan said earlier that you played a clean match today. Were you happy about your level? What made you feel good today?

HOLGER RUNE: Yeah, yeah. I was happy about my level. I think I was serving well. I was very sharp, especially in the beginning of the match, kept my focus well.

You know, he's good, especially on grass. He moves you a lot, so I had to be strong on the sides, but as I have been willing to work on my movements a lot on the grass this year, I just felt very comfortable and happy on how I could handle the situation.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Obviously it's a bit of a unique situation being a top player, and before this you didn't have any wins on the grass. Do you take more confidence from being a top player, or are there still nerves that overweigh that confidence when you hadn't before this week had any wins?

HOLGER RUNE: For sure there are still nerves. Obviously ranking helps to believe, but still, when you haven't had any great experience yet on this surface, you know, you don't go into the match with like huge confidence.

But again, like, with the tennis that I played over the last years, I should go in with a lot of confidence and I try to kind of force that a little bit, but most of all just come in with a humble approach, just keep working, not think too much about how things went last year or how things might go this year. Just stay in the moment and do everything I can.

I know if I play good tennis, no matter where it is, I think I have a good chance to win many of my matches. That's been my mindset.

Q. Obviously this is such a new surface for you. Are there any shots that you are finding work really well on the grass?

HOLGER RUNE: Yeah. I think my serve is good on grass. Goes quick through the court. I like the slice serve, which is effective.

Yeah, I think I would consider myself as a good returner, as well. I think that's important on grass, because as a player, you like to get those free points on your serve, and if you cannot, it's tough that you have to work for every point.

That's been my focus to put pressure on every return game, and in that matter, I managed to break him the times I had to break him to be able to close the match. I think those two aspects of my game is feeling good.

Q. Yesterday Carlos said he looks at videos of Federer and Murray to learn how to play on grass. Are there any players you look to?

HOLGER RUNE: Yeah, actually, it's funny you say it. It was yesterday, no, the day before my first round, I was watching Roger against Novak, this epic final where Roger had those match points and stuff. I was watching a little bit on their movements on the side, and honestly, it looks like they are playing on hard courts because they are so balanced. It doesn't look like they have to make those adjustment steps in the side which you see many players does.

I have been trying to be like really, really strong on my legs in the side so I don't have to run one, two, three more steps. I think it's a lot about the balance and the strength in the legs. I told my fitness coach, and we have been working on this every day to activate the glutes, the legs, everything to be able to be stronger.