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ROGERS CUP

July 28, 2016

Johanna Konta

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

J. KONTA/V. Lepchenko

6-3, 6-2

An interview with:

JOHANNA KONTA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Seven wins in a row. You're doing really great on this surface. Are you surprised of all the success you have had in the past two weeks?
JOHANNA KONTA: Oh, I don't know. I've just finished.

I'm obviously very happy with the amount of matches I'm able to get in on the surface straight after changing from the grass. So I feel very happy with just the amount of tennis I'm able to play going into the hard court season now.

But in terms of how I'm doing now, it's not any reflection of how I will do or how I did before. Yeah, I'm looking forward to having another opportunity to play again tomorrow.

Q. Which is the hardest part of the change from grass to hard courts? Is it the timing or the pounding on the body?
JOHANNA KONTA: Any change of surface, you are going to have different aches and pains. Your body has to adjust to not having as much cushioning, or when you're moving around, also not having to be so low in the legs as on the grass on a continuous basis.

I think it's more we're getting into the thick of the season where we've already got a lot of matches and tournaments under our belt. I think it's just really important to maintain or try to maintain the best health you can for your body and keep seeing the season through.

Q. Talk about what your day-to-day has been like for the last seven days. The grind of the tour can weigh people down. Are you getting itchy at all about having to constantly play matches without days off?
JOHANNA KONTA: It's definitely feeling like Groundhog Day a little bit. That's also an incredibly good problem to have. So who am I kidding to be complaining? I get to be in this event here. It's a great event, the Rogers Cup. So long may it continue.

But, yeah, I think it's just about keeping your mind as fresh as possible and just really, one, being grateful for the position you're in, and secondly, yeah, keep fighting.

Q. Your last loss came a month ago, against Bouchard. There's a chance you will play her tomorrow. Can you tell us about the game in Wimbledon and the fact that she beat you in front of your home crowd, then how you will play in front of her home crowd. There's a chance you can have your revenge there.
JOHANNA KONTA: Well, Genie and I played, I felt, a really high-level match in Wimbledon. It was a great atmosphere. Yeah, it was, I guess, my home. However, I'm sure Wimbledon is famous for having a very - what's the word - fair crowd, a very pleasant crowd. I doubt that things will be as quiet here. I'm sure they'll be a bit louder. It's a different atmosphere, a different tournament.

But, yeah, I think she's just playing now. She's still got a battle on her hands. Whoever I will play tomorrow, I will do my best to prepare.

If it's Genie, that will be a great thing for Canada to have a woman in the quarters. Yeah, hopefully we'll give the crowd a good match.

Q. Since the crowd has been pretty loud in the last few days, do you see this as a factor in any way?
JOHANNA KONTA: If it's a factor, then I'm in the wrong business. I've played plenty of matches, tournaments, where I've had the majority of the crowd against me, just as much as sometimes for me.

I think the most important thing as players we can do is really give our best out there and, quite honestly, make it an enjoyable match for the spectators. They're the ones that are paying for the tickets.

Q. Do you feed off of it in any way?
JOHANNA KONTA: Definitely. It's an entertaining sport. I do see myself as an entertainer in some ways. I definitely would always want to give my best out there and really leave it all out there. Yeah, I'm looking forward to it.

Q. You've taken over the No. 1 position in Britain. Do you feel the pressure, probably like Andy Murray did five, six years ago, with the nation riding on you?
JOHANNA KONTA: I don't particularly see it that way. Also I don't know how Andy Murray felt exactly. I know for sure that he has done a tremendous job over the years at really staying focused at what he does best and what he loves, and that's his sport.

I am very much focused on my own journey. I think other people's expectations are that, they're other people's, they're not my own. I definitely don't try to adopt anyone's baggage onto myself.

Q. Playing Genie, when she's playing well, she's standing right on top of the baseline, taking it incredibly early. When a player does that, what is the general tactic to back her off? What do you expect to try and have to do out there against her?
JOHANNA KONTA: Well, yeah, Genie is a very offensive player. She does look to dictate. I guess it's always about trying to get that first step in during the point.

But, yeah, when you're playing against such world class players, it really doesn't boil down to forehands, backhands or serves. It's about just being there as consistently at possible every single point and fighting.

I mean, I'm sure statistically if you look at end-of-match stats, how often is it that a match is decided on one or two points, or sometimes even the person that lost actually won a couple more points.

It really is just applying yourself the best that you can consistently, however long the match is.

Q. It has still been less than a year since you made your first breakthrough at the US Open. How experienced do you feel on these stages against these big opponents, big crowds?
JOHANNA KONTA: Oh, I feel very lucky, very blessed to have had so many experiences on big courts in such a condensed amount of time. I definitely don't take that for granted at all.

I enjoy it. I definitely look to be playing on those stages as much as possible. And hopefully long may it continue.

Q. Will you go to center court to watch the game?
JOHANNA KONTA: I'm going to eat. I'm eating (laughter).

Q. Bon appetit.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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