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HUAJIN SECURITIES WTA ELITE TROPHY ZHUHAI

November 4, 2016

Johanna Konta

Zhuhai, China

J. KONTA/C. Garcia

6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please.

Q. Congratulations, Johanna.
JOHANNA KONTA: Thank you.

Q. Coming from Singapore, I'm wondering, what is your mindset approaching this event? Does it feel like, Okay, Zhuhai is great, but I'm going to think about next year?
JOHANNA KONTA: Well, right now I'm really happy to be here. Coming from Singapore, obviously I was -- I felt really lucky and excited to be able to play and finish off the season playing.

So, yeah, no, I'm very happy to be here. Obviously Singapore is a pinnacle for our tour. In terms of wanting to be involved if such events, I definitely would love the opportunity next year. If I'm involved here again, I still feel pretty good about that.

Q. Just talk a little bit about your semifinal. You're going to face Elina in the semifinal tomorrow.
JOHANNA KONTA: Well, I don't believe I've played her before, although I found out sometimes before I've played a player and I can't remember. As far as I know I don't think I've played her.

She I think made semis here last year and definitely enjoys playing here. She's a great player. She's had a great year. Actually a great number of years.

She's been consistently in the kind of top 30 for a while now. It'll be a tough one. Looking forward to the challenge.

Q. Some people made a comparison between and you Elina, because in the year of 2010 she was also an alternate to the WTA Tour Championship and did not receive a chance to play, and the next year she won a Grand Slam title. [Sic] They said Joanna probably going to win a major title this year. What do you think of that?
JOHANNA KONTA: Well, if they have a crystal ball and saw that, that's brilliant. Unfortunately, I don't think such a crystal ball exists. For now I really am just enjoying playing. I'm enjoying my journey. Next year will bring its own challenges. I'm looking forward to them.

In terms of how results will go, that remains to be seen.

Q. Navarro said at the moment she really felt exhausted because she was away from home for too long; she needs to go home and get the energy back. Do you feel tired right now physically or mentally?
JOHANNA KONTA: I think if you ask every player right now they are definitely under a considerable amount of fatigue. It's the end of our season and our season is a long one.

So I think everyone is in the same boat. I still feel very motivated to play, so I think that is the main thing.

Otherwise the rest of it is management. Just managing your energy levels and managing your body.

Q. I notice between 2012 and 2014 your year-end ranking is always between 101 and 50; last year into top 50, and now you secure top 10. You mention hard working the other day. I believe lots of girls work very hard. What's the magic button? What happened in the past two years?
JOHANNA KONTA: There is no magic button, and I sound like a broken record with this. I promise you there is none.

I think, like I said numerous times, for me personally, on my journey, it was about just gaining experience and going through certain situations to keep developing myself as a player and also as is person off court.

So I felt like I needed to mature in many different areas to be able to deal with the pressures that come with performing week in, week out on the tour.

Obviously that doesn't guarantee that you will always perform well, but definitely gives you the best chance to do so.

Q. Quick question about the match. Pretty decisive in your favor. How do you feel you're playing right now, and what do you feel like you did to get the match won so decisively?
JOHANNA KONTA: I think I just did a really good job playing quite consistently at a high level throughout the match. I don't think I gave her much breathing room. That always works in a players' favor. And both for me and against me when players do it against me.

So I was quite happy with that. I thought I played quite freely. I really enjoyed being out there. I really enjoyed just playing tennis.

So I think that really came through today.

Q. Earlier this year you play Shenzhen Open and a lost to a Chinese player. A volunteer saw you sitting on the ground after the match and took a picture of you. Looks like you were pretty upset. Now when you look back, how do you summarize your performance of the season 2016?
JOHANNA KONTA: Sorry, I didn't quite understand.

Q. Is it true? A volunteer saw you after the match sitting on the ground. Seemed like you were crying at that time; is it true?
JOHANNA KONTA: I don't know. That was at the beginning of the year. In Shenzhen, right?

Q. Yeah.
JOHANNA KONTA: Yeah, I had a really tough first round. Possibly. (Laughter.) I don't know. Possibly.

What's the question.

Q. How do you summarize your performance of this season?
JOHANNA KONTA: What does your question have to do with the first part?

Q. Looking back, what you have been throughout those years, did you expect that? I mean, in January in Shenzhen did you expect that you are now a top player now?
JOHANNA KONTA: Quite honestly, I've enjoyed every part of my year. Expectation of being where I am? No, I was not -- I didn't have a goal of this. I didn't say, This is where I want to be at the end of the year.

But my goal was to keep getting better and keep improving and keep, yeah, keep going in a positive direction with every opportunity that I got.

I felt I was able to maximize my opportunities this year. And not necessarily win all of those matches; I lost plenty of matches this year. I am sure I cried plenty as well.

We apply ourselves to our sport 100%. I feel very blessed and very fortunate to have had the year that I have had.

So, yeah, I think 2016 has been very kind to me.

Q. As the most-improved player of this season, if you have to name one specific thing you have improved the most, what would it be?
JOHANNA KONTA: Well, obviously it's a combination of things, but I guess my tolerance. My tolerance to be able to both mentally and physically be able to recover on a consistent basis. Because I did play a lot of matches this year, a lot very full weeks.

I think my ability to keep, yeah, recovering and keeping myself in a good state of mind.

Q. Steffi Graf will be here tomorrow. She's the ambassador of this tournament and clearly one of the greatest tennis player in history. In your opinion, what kind of person and player to you?
JOHANNA KONTA: Sorry?

Q. In your opinion, how do you think about Steffi Graf achievement, and not just in tennis, and, you know, generally?
JOHANNA KONTA: Well, she's quite incredible. I think her achievements speak for themselves. I don't think I'm in any position to pass judgment on them. Yeah, she's one of the greatest players of all-time in our sport.

For me growing up, I definitely looked up to her in terms of her image and just the class act that she was both on and off court.

So, if I get the chance to meet her, I would be very, very excited.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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