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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 15, 2017

Johanna Konta

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You must be pretty much buzzing now. Have you been into a slam in better shape or with a better attitude?
JOHANNA KONTA: I'm obviously very pleased with my performance last week. Also just I felt my ability, that I was able to just keep getting better with every match that I played. I was definitely pleased with that.

Obviously to have beaten a player like Aga, I'm definitely very pleased with the level I played.

But we all know that it's not a given. It doesn't decide how you will do in the next event. I'm taking it as a positive from the week itself, but I'm looking to, again, work hard here and really try to do the best that I can here.

Q. Is there something special about returning here, Jo, the fact that it's the scene of your greatest Grand Slam triumph thus far, what you were able to achieve here last year?
JOHANNA KONTA: It is. I'm actually really enjoying also having dinners where I had, some of my favorite places where I went last year. Also seeing my photo up on the Club 8, I don't know what it's called. But that's pretty cool.

I'm just really happy that I'm here, I'm healthy, and I'm enjoying playing. That's what I'm looking forward to, just to compete.

Q. You had a lot of support from family and friends last week in Sydney. Are you expecting the same here?
JOHANNA KONTA: I don't think they will be coming down as much here, but hopefully. Hopefully they will make it here. I'm trying (smiling).

Q. How do you feel about all the support you are getting from the Aussie fans?
JOHANNA KONTA: Honestly, I enjoy playing in front of crowds. I enjoy people enjoying the tennis that we play. That's what I enjoy. Whether the support is for me or my opponent, as long as people enjoy the tennis that we're playing, I think that's what creates a contagious atmosphere.

Q. Are you ever surprised about where you've wound up in relatively fast fashion? I think like two years ago, I don't think anybody would have tipped you to be a solid top-10 player, rolling in here with a title, semifinal last year? Do you ever take time to reflect, Wow, this is a lot?
JOHANNA KONTA: It's one of those things that I think from the outside it may look really quick. It may look unexpected. But when you're in the journey, when you're in the process, it's been years and years and years and years.

So I guess I don't quite see it in such an outside perspective. But I am extremely grateful and really am enjoying what I do. I really love playing. I love learning. I just try to make the most out of every single day, and therefore really just maximize the career that I have.

Q. When you were still in the ITFs and things like that two years ago, would you have thought this was possible now?
JOHANNA KONTA: It's always been my dream to be at the top of the game. As a possibility, of course. But I think there's a lot of work to be done between reality and dreams. I think there's work to be done there.

Q. What is the biggest difference in you then from two years ago to now in terms of your confidence or the way you play or why you are where you are?
JOHANNA KONTA: I believe I have matured. I believe I've gotten better at reinvesting the experiences and the lessons that I've learnt throughout the years and actually putting them into the situations that I face on the match court. I think that has made me a better competitor.

But again, I think things like that also take time. Like a good wine. So, yeah, I think it was just, again, accumulating experiences.

Q. Obviously, Jo, most of us weren't there in Sydney. Given your heritage there, I think you used to practice as a kid a bit there, was it quite an emotional week as much as anything, by the end of it anyway?
JOHANNA KONTA: It wasn't actually emotional. I think it got more and more enjoyable more than anything. It wasn't so sentimental. I'd already been to Sydney a couple years earlier. I was playing qualifying there a couple years earlier, so I'd already been back there.

My biggest highlight of the week is meeting my nephew. I think that's what was really most exciting for me, meeting my nephew, spending time with my sister. I don't get to see her often.

To have them there, them being able to watch me win a title, I think that was what was, yeah, pretty spectacular.

Q. Can you talk about Wim and what he's bringing to your game, how the coaching relationship started?
JOHANNA KONTA: I guess we're doing well together (laughter).

More than that, I'm enjoying learning from him. He comes with just an incredible amount of experience on the tour with some of the best players in the game. I think I'm really keeping my ears open and trying to be a sponge, really just trying to absorb as much as I can from him.

Q. What kind of coach is he? Does he sort of say, Kim did this, Kim did that? Is he very much focusing on you?
JOHANNA KONTA: We're doing what's best for me. We're also on a learning experience together. We've only recently just started, so we're also learning more and more about each other.

I think he's a very calm individual, but he's also quite funny. So far we're having a good time.

Q. What do you know about your opponent? Played her before?
JOHANNA KONTA: I have actually. I played her last year in Monterrey. She beat me there. I'm looking forward to the challenge, the opportunity to play her again. She's a great player. She's a Wimbledon semifinalist, I believe. She's been around the tour for a long time. That's by no accident. So I really am looking forward to the challenge.

Q. Will you go over that match again last year or is it out of your mind?
JOHANNA KONTA: I haven't spoken with my team yet about the match. I think that will come shortly. Then we'll go over it and see what game plan we go into the match with.

Q. You've risen so fast, you're clearly on an upward trajectory. Do you feel you have momentum to keep rising further? Do you feel this is in some ways possibly only the beginning of your reign, whatever you want to call it?
JOHANNA KONTA: Reign (laughter)?

My desire is to get better. My desire is to keep improving. Now, whether that will result in many more titles or great performances, I don't know. We'll see. But as long as I feel that I'm doing everything that I can to move forward, then I know I'm giving my best shot at having results.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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