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INTERNAZIONALI BNL D'ITALIA

May 14, 2017

Johanna Konta

Rome, Italy

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How are you?
JOHANNA KONTA: Doing pretty well. I got here to Rome on Friday evening. Had two good days of training so far and got some time to explore the city.

Overall, the weather is nice. It's nice and hot so good conditions for playing. Yeah, overall, can't complain.

Q. Is your mum with you this year?
JOHANNA KONTA: Mum is here. I think my mum would be offended if I would go to Rome without her. She loves Italy in general, and we have a passion for the food here. Overall, it's a good trip.

Q. You come here on holidays?
JOHANNA KONTA: I have done, for the last two off-seasons ago, we have made pit stops here.

Q. I haven't checked the draw. I don't know who you've got.
JOHANNA KONTA: To be honest with you, I haven't checked, either.

Q. Did you see the thing in Madrid yesterday with our friend Nastase being on the court? Were you surprised by that?
JOHANNA KONTA: The thing is actually I didn't watch the ceremony, so I wasn't aware. Obviously I did hear about it afterwards, and I was told.

I mean, again, yeah, it's something that obviously I'm not involving myself in. I'm looking to keep focusing on my career and keep moving forward and just really put behind me the events that happened at Fed Cup.

Q. So you don't have a view on it?
JOHANNA KONTA: I mean, I guess, not really. I don't know what to say about it, to be honest.

Q. Well, Steve Simon wasn't very impressed, anyway.
JOHANNA KONTA: Yeah, I think he was in the right to say what he did, and, yeah, I think the statement that he made was good.

Q. You have either Putintseva or Puig. I guess they haven't played yet. Have you played either of them before?
JOHANNA KONTA: I have played both of them before. I played Monica last year Wimbledon. I played Yulia actually a few years ago on clay but it was when the women were still at Estoril.

Q. Any thoughts on those draws?
JOHANNA KONTA: I mean, both of them are fierce competitors. Either way it will be a battle, whoever I play. Both of them are really tough fighters.

I think it will be another good opportunity for me to get another competitive match on the clay and hopefully, yeah, be here for as long as possible.

Q. Do you feel you're kind of building up to the French in the way you want to?
JOHANNA KONTA: I think with each match that's been passing, I feel I have been getting more comfortable on the surface, so I think overall I'm enjoying my preparation.

Q. Have you seen Andy around?
JOHANNA KONTA: Yeah, I just saw him actually also -- he was just sitting down for one of his interviews.

Q. Did you wish him a happy birthday?
JOHANNA KONTA: Oh, shit. Oh, sorry.

Q. It's tomorrow.
JOHANNA KONTA: I will now. Actually, his is not bad to remember. Mine is two days after and Heather's is two days after me.

Q. 26?
JOHANNA KONTA: I'll be 26 this year. He's, like, 30.

Q. Big one.
JOHANNA KONTA: Oh, my gosh.

Q. But he doesn't believe in birthdays.
JOHANNA KONTA: Oh, no? I will ask him to believe in mine. (Laughter.)

Q. You said you like exploring. Do you have a favorite place or just jump on transportation and say, Drive me somewhere?
JOHANNA KONTA: Well, I think it's just, yeah, getting into the center of town and then enjoying our time around there. You always see something beautiful.

Everything here is historic. That's the thing. Even like the newest building is, like, historic. Yeah.

Q. Do you get recognized when you walk around?
JOHANNA KONTA: No, no, no.

Q. Does it make it even more special for you?
JOHANNA KONTA: What?

Q. The fact of being free to walk around.
JOHANNA KONTA: I'm pretty free to walk around in most places. I'm not as recognized as you think.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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