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AEGON INTERNATIONAL EASTBOURNEJune 25, 2015Johanna KontaEASTBOURNE, ENGLAND B. BENCIC/J. Konta THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Your assessment of that? JOHANNA KONTA: Well, I'm really happy with my effort. I'm really happy with the week in general. I played against a player today who was very tough. She stayed tough. She came out on top. Q. First set, you certainly got up to some momentum? Some momentum in the first set? JOHANNA KONTA: Uh‑huh. Yeah, obviously I played a very solid good first set, and I started the match really well. Yeah, that's why I took that first set, yeah. Q. Do you feel the second set was more of a case of her finding better form? JOHANNA KONTA: She definitely stepped up her level. She played very well.  I have been struggling with some things this week, and it kind of caught up to me today. All credit to her. She played tough and solid when she needed to. She played the situation. She was the better player today. Q. Tell me about that. You had a medical timeout, didn't you, at the start of the third? JOHANNA KONTA: Start of the second. No, start of the third. Q. So what was the problem? JOHANNA KONTA: Well, I have been on antibiotics this week. I have been ill. You know, I have been slowly getting better, of course, but it's difficult to get better with energy levels when you play against such high‑level players. So, you know, it caught up a bit with me today. I'm not taking anything away from her win, because it's not easy to finish off a match and play a match where, you know, the rhythm is interrupted with medical timeouts. So, you know, credit to her. She played what was presented to her today and she did very well. I'm just happy that I stuck in there, and I gave it my all. It just wasn't my day today. Q. You say you were ill all week? You have hidden that well. When did it start? When did you start feeling... JOHANNA KONTA: I started antibiotics on Sunday. I'm almost done, thank God. Then I can get on to probiotics. But, yeah, it happens. There is a lot of things that players deal with. I'm not the only one here that is not well or that's carrying something or has a niggle or something. There is always something. I'm just happy with my management. I'm just, you know, looking forward to a few days' rest now and to recover and get my energies back and just looking forward to next week. Q. How was it affecting you at that stage of the match when you asked for the medical timeout? How were you feeling? JOHANNA KONTA: Well, my energy levels just got very depleted and I just wanted to check that, you know, I wasn't going to faint out there, because that would have been embarrassing. I didn't want that to happen (smiling). But, yeah, I just wanted to see if I was doing everything possible to give myself the best chance to do well. Yeah, I'm glad I stuck it out there. And credit to Belinda, because she really stepped up her level when she needed to and she played very solid. Q. The week began for you in front of the almost proverbial one man on his dog on a cold Sunday evening. It's ended with a narrow quarterfinal defeat in front of a full audience. How do you reflect on that overall? JOHANNA KONTA: I mean, overall I have had obviously a very blessed week, to be honest, to be able to play in front of such a loud and supportive crowd. It's humbling and it's a pleasure. You know, there were a few people there on Sunday, so it wasn't just a man and his dog. I'm very appreciative to the people that stayed because it was bloody cold. So honestly those people were troopers. You know, I enjoyed every single match I went out there to play, and I'm just very proud of my effort this week and my ability to deal with whatever situation was presented to me on court. I'm just looking forward to resting for a few days, and I'm just looking forward to the next competition. Q. Did the result also emphasize how much she's improved from a year ago when you beat her in the first round here? She's come a long way since then? JOHANNA KONTA: Well, of course. She's ranked 30 in the world. No one just walks to that position. You know, she has made a Grand Slam quarterfinal. Yeah, I mean, there was no doubt before I went out on court that she was going to be a better player, better competitor. She's also matured. She's still quite young. Last year she was even younger when I played here. She's a very good player. I look forward to every match I go out there to play, because I'm playing against very good competitors and very talented players. It's a pleasure to be out there. Q. What inspiration will you take from this week? Will you look at videos during the rest of the season, high spots of this week? JOHANNA KONTA: Well, I'm not necessarily valuing this week any more than or my achievements any more than any other week. I'm just proud of my personal goals that I felt I did well with, and that's just handling situations well. Q. You have beaten a top 10 and a top 20. Is that something you look back on and say, I did this? JOHANNA KONTA: Well, hopefully this is not the last time I beat a top 10 or a top 20. I'm happy with how I did this week, but I'm not idolizing this week in any way, and I'm just looking forward to, you know, being ready for my next competition now. Q. Do memories like playing in front of a packed centre court, does that get you through the other tournaments you have been playing recently or this year, more than one man and a dog but not many more? JOHANNA KONTA: I enjoy wherever I'm playing. I don't feel I need a crowd to be inspired to play. It's humbling to have so many people rooting for you and watching you. But, you know, obviously the better you do, the more chances we get to play on such wonderful stages. But I appreciate and I am motivated just as much to play on a tennis court with just a man and his dog watching. Q. A couple of the ball boys and ball girls were practicing the Konta ball bounce. How cool is that that people copy what you do on court? JOHANNA KONTA: Um, I don't know (smiling). Yeah, I guess so. I have never heard of anyone doing that, so I'm not sure what to say to that, to be honest. Q. It must be cool people are watching you and using you as a role model? JOHANNA KONTA: Of course. Well, I hope I can inspire some kids to pick up a racquet. I mean, that's a wonderful. It's a wonderful sport to be involved in. Even if I just get one kid more playing, I mean, that's great. Q. Has there been more of a buzz around Eastbourne this week? JOHANNA KONTA: Well, I have honestly just been here and at home. There is not a buzz going at home (smiling). Q. But generally after Eastbourne when you play here, obviously you have been on the BBC and everything, do people notice you more when you're around? JOHANNA KONTA: No. My parents rarely recognize me when I'm in street clothes. (Laughter.) Q. You're probably quite happy with that? JOHANNA KONTA: I'm no Serena Williams. Let's just keep our feet on the ground here. Q. Expectations? Wimbledon next week. With Laura obviously not there, the responsibility lies with you to... JOHANNA KONTA: Not really. No, I have no responsibility towards anyone else. I play for myself firstly, and, you know, I take responsibility for my own actions. All I can do is my best. All any other player can do is their best. You know, I'm competing against players who are out there for the same reason, and that's to win. That's to beat me. So as long as I give my best, then we see how the day goes. But in terms of feeling pressure or responsibility, to be honest, I'm just very grateful for the All England Club giving me the opportunity to play on such a wonderful stage. All I can promise them is my best when I go out, when I step out onto that court. Q. Obviously you started this week, people sort of see you as an underdog, whereas next week, rightly or wrongly, people will be expecting a little bit more from you. What do you sort of prefer? To have the underdog mentality or feel more pressure? JOHANNA KONTA: Well, that's the mentality of people around me, and that's their expectations. Mine stay the same. My mentality is I take every match as it comes, and I never overestimate or underestimate any player. I go out there and I give my best. At the end, you see how you did. Yeah, no, I'm just very much looking forward to another opportunity next week to do what I love, and that's play a game of tennis. I hope I can do well. Just, yeah, enjoy it. Q. Belinda got quite animated a couple of times on the court. Does that put you off at all or do you completely disregard that? JOHANNA KONTA: To be honest, I was very much in my own mind and my own bubble. You know, I had my own things to deal with. I just wanted to conserve as much energy as possible and just try to really stay out there with her for as long as possible. Well done to her, because she played a very thoroughly solid match. Q. (Question about Jo's anger.) JOHANNA KONTA: Not for a little while. I can't remember. I mean, I don't know. Q. You seem quite level headed. Is that always the case, then? JOHANNA KONTA: Well, no, it's something that I wasn't born with. It's something that I have been working very hard on. It's something that's in constant progress, and I constantly have to, you know, keep myself in check. Q. You have got a momentum now going into Wimbledon, which must make you greatly confident. JOHANNA KONTA: Oh, yeah. I'm very happy that I was able to play four great matches here. It's four, right? Four. I played two very good matches in Birmingham and three very good matches in Nottingham. I feel I have been fortunate and lucky enough that I have been playing matches week in and week out. That obviously does give me confidence in being able to come back each day and keep giving my best. Yeah, I'm looking forward to the next time I step out on court. I'm lucky enough that it's going to be Wimbledon. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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