ROLAND GARROS

June 8, 2024

Kaylan Bigun

Press Conference

K. BIGUN/T. Berkieta

4-6, 6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations. First Grand Slam junior title. You were very emotional out there. What does it mean to you?

KAYLAN BIGUN: It means a lot. I mean, you know, I don't really play on red clay a good amount, and I don't think Americans have been known to specialize in the red clay (smiling).

But yeah, I mean, I just try to take every match one at a time and enjoy the moment and enjoy the places with my family, with my coaches.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Congratulations. You said you haven't played a huge amount on the red clay. I assume when you train on clay in the U.S. you train on green clay, but you won in Milan. How much confidence did you have coming into this tournament having won there?

KAYLAN BIGUN: You know, to be honest, obviously if you won a tournament the week before you come in with a good amount of confidence and kind of seasoned in the match play and competing.

So that-wise I knew what I had to do and how I wanted to play on the court. Just coming here, you kind of understand things might be a little bit different from the clay in Milan, but for me I just try to check my boxes mentally and with my game and then kind of see where that takes me.

Q. Can you tell us more about your relation with Marcos Giron and Mackenzie McDonald. I saw you have played a few times with them. Can you tell us more about the details and the trainings?

KAYLAN BIGUN: When I train at USTA in Carson, Marcos kind of kicks my ass every day. I obviously learned a lot from him because he's such a nice guy. I asked him about the tour. I even learned from him while I'm getting my ass kicked, with different shots to play and how he plays them.

I think it's really cool to have a relationship like that where we can kind of -- obviously I can give him good practice and then I can learn from him at the same time.

Q. Mackenzie was in UCLA too? You will be in UCLA?

KAYLAN BIGUN: Exactly, exactly. So actually both Mackie and Marcos did go to UCLA. When I was choosing where I was going to go to college, I was obviously taking input from them and seeing how they developed at the school, really kind of gave me a lot of confidence in their program and in their coaches, so that kind of was all setting it into place.

Q. Can you talk about the importance of that first service game in the second set and what that meant in terms of I suppose the message you were sending.

KAYLAN BIGUN: Yeah, when you're returning rocket launchers like that, you kind of have to believe that every game might be your chance to break, and every point that you can get the racquet on the ball is important.

I was just trying to take it one point at a time. I was, like, if I'm going to let him hold, he's going to have to ace me four times. That was kind of my mindset. Even though in the first set I maybe didn't play a great service game and he served unbelievable, that was kind of just keeping my intensity high on every point that I can get the racquet on.

Q. And you talked before about the physicality and trying to make sure you make it as tough as possible. The training background, can you talk a little bit more about what you have done. I know you spent time on the clay courts, but what more have you done to try and build this strength?

KAYLAN BIGUN: I think it's for me to be intentional with everything I'm doing on the court, and then I've been trying to have longer practices where I go, you know, three, four hours in a row of fitness and tennis and try to maintain a high intensity the whole time. I feel like that's worked wonders for me.

But at the same time, knowing when I need to have rest days and when I need to recover and do the right things. Even working off the court with a mental coach, with physio, just really making sure I'm trying to become the best version of myself, and I think that's really important.

Q. When did you start to work with a mental coach? Was it, like, necessary to progress at what time of your tennis journey?

KAYLAN BIGUN: Actually, I don't want to but I'm going to give my dad credit for this, because (smiling) end of last year we kind of wrote everything on a chalkboard and we're, like, okay, we have the tennis part covered, we have the physical part covered, now we're missing this kind of mental side of the game.

It's helped me tremendously. It starts off the court. It starts with the things off the court and translates onto the court.

I think it's really helped me kind of understand my feelings and understand that sometimes before a final it's okay to have negative thoughts or it's okay to be nervous and you kind of just who can work through them faster. I think it's been really important for me not only as a player but as a person.

Q. Do you think sometimes people are reluctant to do that and it ends up being counterproductive because you kind of suppress these things rather than accepting them?

KAYLAN BIGUN: Are you talking about, like, the feeling before a match?

Q. Yes.

KAYLAN BIGUN: I mean, I feel like it's different for everyone. You know, tennis is a sport to where there's not one right way to do it. It's kind of you have to find what works for yourself and what helps you feel good.

So obviously for me it's important to, you know, if I experience those to kind of work through them and let them go.

Q. Can I ask what you said to each other when you were embracing afterwards? Tomasz had said yesterday you'd known each other since you were about 10 years old. What did he say to you as you were embracing there?

KAYLAN BIGUN: Well, he told me, I never knew Americans who play on clay. I said, Fuck you, why are you serving so big? (Laughter.)

Yeah, no, it was great. It was a good embrace. He's a really nice guy. I've known him for so long already. He's so big but I call him "Little Man" all the time, yeah.

Q. Can you say you're closer to being a clay court specialist or is that still a step away?

KAYLAN BIGUN: Yeah, on the junior level I can say I eat the clay. (Laughter.)

But, you know, obviously I want to win at the highest level on clay, and until I do that I'll say I'm a junior clay court specialist, for sure.

Q. When did you start tennis and how?

KAYLAN BIGUN: I started tennis ever since I could open my eyes. My dad, when I was in the crib, you know how there is, like, a lullaby and there's toys? Well, my dad took the toys out and put tennis balls.

So I think I started then, and before I could walk, he already put a racquet in my hand and I was swinging it around. But I started playing tournaments pretty early. I think my first tournament I was five years old, so yeah, me and my brother I'd say we started ever since we could remember.

Q. On joining UCLA, it was necessary to join a university before going to the pro tour?

KAYLAN BIGUN: Yeah, I think college is a really good steppingstone for Americans wanting to become pros. You know, I'm excited to go because it will only help me as a person but as a player, as well. So I feel like I can learn a lot of things in school.

Q. What do you do in the next month or two? Do you play Wimbledon? How do you approach that?

KAYLAN BIGUN: I haven't honestly decided. Obviously before the tournament Wimbledon was on the schedule, so for now nothing has really changed. Obviously I will take it one day at a time. I'm looking forward to get on the grass. Yeah.

Q. Was the Accelerator Program in your mind when you joined UCLA? Because there are some ways to be on the pro tour, thanks to college tennis.

KAYLAN BIGUN: Like I said, college tennis now is as flexible as it's ever been, so obviously the Accelerator Program they have in college and the juniors is something that can really help players make it on the tour. I think all those things are great.