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U.S. OPEN

August 31, 2016

Johanna Konta

New York, NY, USA

J. KONTA/T. Pironkova

6-2, 5-7, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Jo, can I ask you, how are you feeling?
JOHANNA KONTA: I'm feeling a little embarrassed (smiling), but I'm doing everything that I can to recover well and try to get myself into a state to be ready to compete again on Thursday, Friday. I don't know what day it is.

Q. Has anything like this happened to you before?
JOHANNA KONTA: I've actually had it happen once before four years ago in similar conditions. It was hot and humid. Although this may have been for slightly different reasons, but, yeah, once before, so...

Q. Tell us exactly what was going on. Was it a shortness of breath? Heat?
JOHANNA KONTA: Well, basically I was feeling a little bit the conditions, and also, you know, my own energy levels. I was just managing the best that I could with what I had today. Basically my heart rate spiked and I couldn't really control my breathing. I started hyperventilating. I started shaking.

So, yeah, basically that's why I went down on the ground, because I was quite violently shaking. So...

Q. Must have been pretty worrying, wasn't it?
JOHANNA KONTA: Because I'd experienced it once before I didn't start crying. I don't know if anyone's had a panic attack, but that's basically what it feels like except my muscles are shaking as well.

But, yeah, so I knew straightaway I needed to get ice on myself, try to get my breathing down, start just really, yeah, calm myself down and in turn my muscles and my heart calmed down as well.

That's basically what happened. It was basically very embarrassing.

Q. Pironkova said you did nothing against the rules, but she thought the toilet break was a bit excessive. Did you feel you were exercising your right within the rules?
JOHANNA KONTA: The way it worked out with the medical timeout it was right at the end of that second set. I guess it worked out that way, but I needed to get changed out of my clothes. I was soaked through.

Yeah, I mean, I'm not a fan of drama. I'm not a fan of these sort of things. I did the best that I could with the cards that I had. My opponent, she was gracious, and she was also very, I felt, understanding of the situation that was going on.

But, yeah, I did the best that I could.

Q. Is there a cause of it? Will it happen randomly? Is it something you can offset by better hydration or...
JOHANNA KONTA: Quite honestly, I'm doing the best that I can with everything that I'm doing. I think it was just something that was on the cards for me today. It was something that happened.

I've definitely played a high volume of matches in the last few weeks, so I'm doing the best that I can to keep recovering for each match that I get to play.

I feel quite certain that with some TLC I'll be good to go again in a few days' time.

Q. Extremely puzzling that you're extremely fit; played the three-and-a-half-hour match against Muguruza in conditions hotter than that. You must be puzzled by it.
JOHANNA KONTA: I'm not necessarily puzzled by it. I think it's something that's happened. I did the best that I could dealing with it on court. I'm also doing the best that I can now recovering and dealing with it off court. That's basically as simple as I can keep it.

If I get too bogged down with the ins-and-outs of it it's only going to add stress and unnecessary worry.

Q. When did you actually start to feel yourself going downhill? In the first set you were dominant.
JOHANNA KONTA: It's hard to feel the difference between general tiredness, general fatigue, once you cross over to where your body starts shutting down a bit.

I think all athletes kind of play a very fine line with that. We push our bodies to the limits that they can go. I definitely hit, you know, one of my limits. That was the way my body reacted.

Good thing that mentally I was able to stay as calm as I did and to really just keep trying my best.

Q. How close were you to pulling out? Also, in the third set were you back to 100%? You were playing pretty well again.
JOHANNA KONTA: I did not think of whether I was pulling out, whether I was continuing to play. I was taking it basically each second, each minute as it came. I think I just did good management in the third set. I was definitely just playing with what I had energy level-wise, feeling-wise, everything-wise. I just played with what I had.

Yeah, that's it.

Q. Were you still feeling uncomfortable in the third set? Were you still feeling ill at all? Did you recover pretty quickly?
JOHANNA KONTA: I'm continuously recovering right now, so...

Q. Right now, is it a general sense of relief to get through a match like that? Is it concern about the rest of your tournament? Is it just exhaustion? What is your take right now?
JOHANNA KONTA: My take right now is that I'm happy with how I was able to deal with the situation that I had today, just the challenges that I had, my own challenges I had. I faced them and I did the best that I could.

I feel very fortunate enough that I have one more chance to play here, to give my best again. Between then and now, it's just about getting my body to a state of -- you know, the best state that I can.

Q. The last time it happened to you were you able to recover and play on like you did today, or last time did you have to stop?
JOHANNA KONTA: No, last time it happened I actually played on. I recovered reasonably well.

Q. In the back of your mind today you knew it was possible to get through this and you could come back and continue?
JOHANNA KONTA: I was not thinking forward. During the match, honestly in the whole third set, I was just focusing on my breathing, making sure I was keeping my breathing as level as possible.

Q. Where was the last time it happened? What was the actual tournament?
JOHANNA KONTA: I can't remember, but I remember it was about four years ago.

Q. In the States or in Australia?
JOHANNA KONTA: No, it was in the U.S. It was in the U.S. I just remember it was hot and humid conditions.

Q. How was the conversation with the trainer and doctor when you got out there? They quickly attended to you.
JOHANNA KONTA: They're brilliant. We are very fortunate with the medical staff that we have here.

But I think, firstly, once they came out I did panic a little bit. They kind of calmed me down. They did all the necessary checks to see how I was doing immediately then. Since then I've done all the necessary checks, as well.

So, yeah, all should be good.

Q. The woman doctor walked back with you. She kept track of you.
JOHANNA KONTA: Yeah, she's one of our physiotherapists on the tour. No, she's been shadowing me.

Q. Bearing in mind what you said while you've been sitting here about how happy you are with how you handled the situation, it's interesting that you started off by saying you felt embarrassed. What do you feel embarrassed about?
JOHANNA KONTA: It's not a situation that I'd want to be in. It's not a situation I'd want anyone to be in. I'm out there to play my sport, to showcase my sport. I'm not an actress. I'm not a drama queen.

To be in a situation where it's quite a vulnerable situation, yeah, it's not a humbling experience, but it does kind of take you back a bit. Yeah, it's a bit of a shock to the system. That's all.

Q. I don't know if you've spoken to the doctors or anybody else. How important was the prompt action of the umpire while you were waiting for the medics to arrive?
JOHANNA KONTA: Well, I think everybody actually. The ball kids were great. They knew I needed two ice towels. They were just really good. They were giving them to me straightaway.

But like I said, because I'd been in the situation once before I knew I needed ice straightaway. I told that to the umpire. She called the trainers, as well.

I mean, I'm definitely not the first person to have these sort of struggles on court. I'm definitely not going to be the last. It's part of our sport. It's part of the conditions that we play in.

All any of us can do is just deal with it the best that we can.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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