THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 5, 2023

George Loffhagen

Press Conference

H. RUNE/G. Loffhagen

7-6, 6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: George, your reaction to today's match if you would.

GEORGE LOFFHAGEN: Obviously it was over two days. I thought a good first set. I was happy that I came through a few close games, but yeah, breakpoints. So I thought I did well with that, and I thought I played well on those breakpoints. Didn't get too many looks on his serve. Then just played a few poor points in the tiebreak to lose that set.

Then today I thought, it's interesting, because I felt like although it was almost less tight in the scoreline, I felt like maybe I had more opportunities, like I had a few more breakpoints but didn't manage to take them. He managed to take his. Yeah, he returned pretty well.

I think, yeah, he made it tough and played a good match, yeah.

Q. That must give you a lot of confidence going up against a guy sixth in the world, French Open quarterfinalist last month. You really did push him and you forced more breakpoints than people might have expected at the start of the day.

GEORGE LOFFHAGEN: Yeah, yeah, I definitely think it's a great opportunity to play someone like that. I don't normally get the chance to play someone that highly ranked, so I feel like it's very useful to see how he plays and how someone like that plays and see where I need to improve.

Yeah, I definitely think there's positives I can take from the match. I managed to push him the first set and then just didn't manage to take some opportunities in the second. But I definitely think there is, yeah, there's positives I can take from it, yeah.

Q. How is that as an experience as well, first time playing at Wimbledon?

GEORGE LOFFHAGEN: Yeah, it was really fun. It was a great experience (smiling). I really enjoyed it.

Yeah, I mean, I wish I could have taken a few of those breakpoints, but yeah, it is what it is (smiling).

Q. What was it like to kind of be on court at Wimbledon, to have that crowd support behind you? Did you have family here today? A bit more about what it felt like to get on that court after your journey to here.

GEORGE LOFFHAGEN: Yeah, it was really nice. I mean, in the futures and stuff there's not as many people watching. It was quite nice to play in front of a big crowd. I had my mom, a few family members watching, and obviously my coach and stuff. It was nice to like have some support that you see sort of on a daily basis.

But yeah, I really enjoyed it. It brings a lot more atmosphere, and it's nice when, like, there's a few people cheering for you as well. Yeah, that was nice (smiling).

Q. When you consider kind of what the last couple of years have been like for you and maybe uncertainty about where you're going to go with your career, does it feel worth it just having got on court then, to think this is the right decision for me?

GEORGE LOFFHAGEN: Yeah, definitely I feel like I don't think I'll forget that match very easily. I'm really happy to have been able to get in a position to have even played the match, because obviously I'm not at the ranking where I would get in the main draw.

Yeah, I'm really just happy to have been able to play. Yeah, I just feel like I tried my best. That's all you can do.

Q. Talk a bit about Eastbourne as well. You came close to winning that first-round match.

GEORGE LOFFHAGEN: Yeah.

Q. In terms of your level against Rune, top 6, top 10 in the world, where do you think your level is in terms of pro ranks? You must be happy overall with the efforts these past couple of weeks.

GEORGE LOFFHAGEN: Yeah, definitely I'm happy with how I played and how I competed and stuff.

I mean, in terms of ranking, I mean, I feel like, I don't know, but I am the ranking I am in a way. So I feel like it doesn't make sense to say, Oh, am I playing at this type of ranking or this type of ranking. Because at the current moment, I am ranked, so I feel like it's not worth sort of speculating.

But yeah, I'm happy that I'm able to, that I have been able to push some high-ranked guys. Yeah, I feel, yeah, it's a lot of confidence I can take from these matches, yeah.

Q. I didn't see, when you played the first set, was it yesterday, losing track of days now, yesterday, I didn't see the crowd, but was Jack Draper here watching you, I think I heard?

GEORGE LOFFHAGEN: Jack came. I don't think he came in time for the set, and then it started raining. I don't think he managed to watch any, but he was going to if we had gone out. But just didn't get the chance. So yeah.

Q. He wasn't here today?

GEORGE LOFFHAGEN: No, I'm sure he's probably training or something today.

Q. Obviously first time at Wimbledon playing. I'm guessing this gives you a lot of determination to think in 12 months' time you want to be back on that stage.

GEORGE LOFFHAGEN: Yeah, definitely. To just see guys like this, I feel that you see on the TV all the time, it definitely gives you a lot of motivation to try and work hard, to try and get here one day, and hopefully one day get here without wild cards or anything.

So I definitely think that definitely gives you an extra boost, because it's a lot nicer playing in front of a crowd and it's a lot nicer event than like futures and stuff. Definitely try and improve my ranking and try and improve my tennis so I can get back here again.

Q. What are the next couple of months sort of looking for you? Do you have a rough provisional plan in place?

GEORGE LOFFHAGEN: Yeah, I think I'm going to practice for a couple of weeks and then I'll try and play some futures. They've got some futures in the UK, so I think I'll play those.

Yeah, try and improve and try and improve my ranking. Yeah, obviously see where it goes.