	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

DONGFENG MOTOR WUHAN OPEN

September 30, 2015

Johanna Konta

WUHAN, CHINA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. So thoughts after that match and just how you were able to turn around that third set.
JOHANNA KONTA: To be honest, I don't have much thoughts. Right now it's really just about getting things done and being able to prepare the best possible for tomorrow. You know, it's been a long day. It's been a long day for everybody. I'm just looking forward to getting to bed, to be honest.
But obviously in terms of the match, I wasn't really thinking ahead or behind. I was quite content in just staying in the point that I was playing. Yeah, I mean, the grand old saying: I guess it's never over until you shake hands.
Yeah, no, I wasn't actively thinking of, yeah, I can win this, or, oh, it's over. I was just trying to stay out there as long as possible and keep fighting every single point.

Q. Did your mindset change at all tactically in that third set once you were down 1‑5? It looked like you were trying to grip and rip a little bit more, trying to impose yourself. I don't know if that was conscious thing at all.
JOHANNA KONTA: No. It wasn't conscious. I think I was trying to play like that anyway. I think that's how I usually play. Obviously there's ebbs and flows within a match which will have an effect on everyone's game here and there.
Yeah, no, I was happy that I was able to just become a bit more solid, I think. I did knuckle down a bit and just try to really, if anything, make her win it more than anything.
Yeah, I was just really trying to just fight hard every point.

Q. Any thoughts on tomorrow, meeting Venus?
JOHANNA KONTA: I have to be honest, not many thoughts yet (laughter).
But that's actually a bit of a childhood dream, I guess. I grew up watching Venus. So that in terms of as a child, I'm like, Wow. But as a competitor now, I'm just looking forward to the challenge.
Yeah, no, I'll just be going out there with the same game plan: just fighting every point.

Q. I know it's right after the match, but beating the world No. 2 has to be something a bit special, no?
JOHANNA KONTA: Uhm, on paper, yeah, great. But in terms of how I felt out there or any thoughts that I had, I really did not go out there thinking that I was playing the No. 2 and I'm No.66 or whatever I am. Like I keep mentioning, I don't really have any desire to belong in a certain place. I'm very content in just enjoying and really fighting hard against every single opponent that I play, whatever their ranking.
Obviously I'm not stupid in the sense that she is No. 2 for a reason, and that is an incredibly humbling experience for me, that I can compete with such a player. But in terms of the result, I'm just really happy I get to come back tomorrow and play against someone like Venus.

Q. These results you're having since this summer, people are wondering how come didn't it happen before earlier. What kind of reason to see to that?
JOHANNA KONTA: I'm a big believer in the process. I'm a big believer in progression. It didn't happen before because it wasn't meant to. I had to have a lot of experiences and I had to grow up a bit. I think everything runs their own course. Everyone has their own journey, their own career. This is mine. This is how mine's developing.
You know, it would be silly for me to say I wish it would have happened earlier or later or whatever because I'm very much a believer in living in the here and now because, you know, there's only very few things that are under my control. I'll just keep trying to do my best and try to control the things that I can.

Q. Against a player like Simona, obviously the first time you played her.
JOHANNA KONTA: No, I played her in Fed Cup two years ago.

Q. When you talk about controlling only what you can control, what could you control against her and what couldn't you control, if that makes sense?
JOHANNA KONTA: I could control my own attitude, my own mindset, my intentions out there, and obviously my ability to accept and tolerate the situations out there. What I can't control is her side really. I can't control how she'll react to points. I can't control how she'll raise her level or drop her level or whatever the ebbs and flows of the match. That's completely out of my control. It really is just doing my best at trying to keep myself there mentally as much as possible for as long as possible.

Q. Earlier this week you were talking about that concept of acceptance and tolerance and things like that, but also that it was a work in progress.
JOHANNA KONTA: Yeah.

Q. Do you remember the last time that you played a match where you really struggled with that, accepting there were things you couldn't control?
JOHANNA KONTA: I don't know actually. I haven't thought about that.
I mean, maybe not a full match. But there's always times here and there where it's maybe a little more difficult, there are circumstances. I am human, I do have a life outside of tennis, believe it or not. So, you know, there's certain things that happen in life that are going to have an effect on how I deal with things on a certain day.
But I like to think that the older I'm getting and the more building days I can have, the more adding days I can have of really just trying my best to reinforce the kind of identity I want to have out there, yeah, I can't I guess really remember the last time I, yeah, had a complete meltdown. I hope it doesn't come tomorrow.

Q. In terms of on court, your demeanor is fairly calm. You don't get too amped one way or the other. Is that how it always has been? If we were to go back and pull junior tapes...
JOHANNA KONTA: Oh, no. No. Oh, back in juniors, no. Have a conversation with my parents (laughter). No, no. Even at home, have a conversation with my parents. No, no.
I mean, I think I've said this many times in my press conferences before, I am quite a tightly wound person. I talk a lot. I cry. I laugh. I'm quite emotional. So, no.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297