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INTERNAZIONALI BNL D'ITALIA

May 12, 2016

Johanna Konta

Rome, Italy

M. DOI/J. Konta

4-6, 7-5, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. A pretty undulating match. Can you just talk us through how you saw it.
JOHANNA KONTA: I think a lot of things happened in that match. I think, as a general, I think she played very, very well today. I think she moved the ball around the way she wanted to, and I didn't do a good enough job of getting her out of her comfort zone, I think.

Yeah, I definitely fought my hardest. I don't think I could have done more today. I think I played with the cards I had, but I have a lot to take from it, yeah, to improve on and just trying to get better.

I'm most disappointed obviously I'm not being able to give myself a chance to play tomorrow just to keep improving, but I look forward to the next time I can step out onto the match court.

Q. When you compare that court out there and the conditions with where you played yesterday, did it almost feel like a different tournament?
JOHANNA KONTA: I actually did joke with my coach before saying that, because we were warming up over there, it was like a different tournament right now because there was so much at the end. But I played my first match on the court next to it. I think this court was a little bit different just because of the shade that was around.

It definitely wasn't easy conditions. I'm not sure, but I felt the courts were a bit more slippy today. I don't know if that had anything to do with the rain last night. I don't know.

But yeah, no, both of us had the same conditions. It doesn't really make a difference, and she did a really good job today. I honestly played her quite a few times, and I really felt she played very, very well.

Q. In a way do you prefer the big atmosphere like in yesterday's match?
JOHANNA KONTA: I work for those opportunities, but I appreciate every single chance I get to be out on the match court. Doesn't matter if I'm on center or out on Court 1. Like I said, I played my first match on Court 2, just the court next to it. No, it doesn't make a difference in terms of my motivation and my desire.

Q. Is there a sense of regret that after you fought back so well in the second set you couldn't quite close it out?
JOHANNA KONTA: Well, I was never in the position to close out the second set. It got back to 5-All. I think, again, I really feel I left it all out there. I tried every trick I had in my bag today, and all the tools that I had today at my disposal I felt I used.

It just unfortunately -- it wasn't quite enough today, but, you know, I keep working towards taking a lot and enjoying these sorts of experiences as well. I think it's very important to look for the enjoyment in these things, as well, because it's not all roses. It's not all great.

Q. What will you do between now and the French? Can you just remind us, also, of your pre-Wimbledon plan now.
JOHANNA KONTA: I'm not quite sure yet. I haven't actually spoken to my coach yet about the plan between now and Paris. That's to be determined.

And in terms of tournaments leading into Wimbledon, well, obviously I have Paris, but then I'm planning on playing a full grass court schedule unless my body and health say otherwise.

Q. You have obviously had a good week here, Jo. Do you feel you have had enough matches on clay going into the French?
JOHANNA KONTA: I feel like I have had as many as I have had. I'm going to take the most out of these five matches that I have played. I'm grateful for every single one of them.

Obviously I always strive to give myself more opportunities, but I'm very happy with the level I was playing here this week in general.

I think there is a lot of good things to take from it, and, yeah, just a lot of motivation and also a lot of excitement to just being able to get out onto the match court as soon as possible.

Q. How confident are you going into the French?
JOHANNA KONTA: How would you measure confidence?

Q. Well, it's not always easy, but do you feel like you've got a good chance of going quite far in the French?
JOHANNA KONTA: I have never gone into any tournament rating myself or where I think I can end up. I'm going into the event, first of all, very grateful to be healthy and being able to play it, and then second of all, looking forward to my first round, because that's the only thing that is so far guaranteed in a way that I will have that first round, and then we will see how that round goes.

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