	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

ROLAND GARROS

May 29, 2019

Johanna Konta

Paris, France

J. KONTA/L. Davis

6-3, 1-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You sounded really, really ill in your post-match interview. Was it a case of fighting off the flu as well as a very plucky opponent there tonight?
JOHANNA KONTA: Yeah, I've been a bit sick since Sunday. So it's moving, so we're managing and dealing with it and -- yeah.

Q. Did you have to sort of dose yourself up on paracetamol and Night Nurse?
JOHANNA KONTA: I'm doing everything I can do kind of recover and manage and, yeah, just dealing with it.

Q. (Off microphone.)
JOHANNA KONTA: I've been dealing with it since Sunday. We just keep dealing with it.

Q. Can you just talk us through the second set? Because the first set was a big fight, and then the second set really seemed to sort of get away. Just talk through.
JOHANNA KONTA: I mean, I think the first set was -- I mean, to be fair, the whole match was tricky in its own way. She's a very tough opponent to play. In the first set there was very little in it, so I thought I did well in just staying tough and really just trying to find a way.

And I got a little opening, and I thought I was able to then close it out. In that second set, I don't actually think I did too much wrong. My opponent, she raised her level a lot, and I didn't quite raise it as well.

Then, I mean, to be fair, there was a period there where, I mean, I think she hit like -- I don't know -- two games straight winners. So it wasn't that much that I did wrong necessarily.

In the third set, I felt I raised my level again. Actually ran away with it a little bit. But I knew up until the very end that until I was shaking hands with her, it was not going to be over.

Q. As you say, you knew that maybe she was going come back. So what were you feeling at Love-40 in that final game and how did you pull yourself through?
JOHANNA KONTA: I mean, to be honest I just quite consciously kind of accepted my fate either way. I was very conscious of the good things that I was doing and also giving credit to my opponent.

I mean, I don't think I played very many breakpoints me or game points me where she really gave it to me. I actually had to earn a lot of the chances that I got. And also taking those chances, I had to earn a lot.

So she played really well when she was down and I kind of accepted that that was the case there as well. And was just trusting in the things that I was doing, and it was going happen or if it wasn't, but I was enjoying actually being in such a tough situation.

Q. Apologizes in advance for another breaking bread analogy?
JOHANNA KONTA: Don't worry. (Smiling.)

Q. But another good win. You're fine form on clay continues. Are you on a roll?
JOHANNA KONTA: I mean, I'm definitely playing good tennis right now. I think I'm competing well. I think when I'm presented with tough situations out there, I keep a cool head. And I'm managing to problem-solve well, which makes me difficult to play.

However, it's not always an upward trajectory, and I've really fought hard in a lot of the matches, and a lot of matches I had to turn around. I was down in a lot of them.

So overall just pleased with the tennis I'm playing. And for me it just feels like a continuous development on just getting better. And it's nice to be rewarded with some great wins in the last few weeks, but it keeps moving forward, doesn't it?

Q. I'm not sure if you're aware but you're the first British woman through to the third round here since 1992. That must be something you're particularly proud of.
JOHANNA KONTA: I didn't know before now, but that's nice. Yeah, I mean, I never doubted my ability on the surface, so it's nice to have some reward for that.

But, again, I'm just happy to have played a tough match today and looking forward to playing a tough one on Friday, I guess.

Q. Why do you think it is that British women have had such little success here in the last 20, 30 years?
JOHANNA KONTA: Oh, I don't know. I can't really answer that. I don't know.

Q. Kiki Bertens is ill, who you could have played in the next round. Now you have Viktoria Kuzmova. A first time meeting for you. Have you seen her play? Have you sort of seen anything that she's done?
JOHANNA KONTA: I might have practiced with her last year here, I think, if it's the girl that I'm thinking of. And if it's the girl that I'm thinking of, she's played some good matches recently, I think.

Was she the girl that played Barty in Rome or Simona in Madrid? Yeah, no.

So she's a big hitter. She plays big balls from what I've seen. But I haven't talked to Dimitri about it yet or prepared yet for it at all.

Q. Are you aware that that was your 150th match win as well?
JOHANNA KONTA: I'm breaking records today. (Laughing.)

Q. Do these sort of milestones -- you obviously weren't aware of that -- what sort of significance do they carry, if anything at all? Are you aware of when you're notching up these figures as you go along?
JOHANNA KONTA: I mean, I remember -- was it in Nottingham or somewhere? Where was it that I got -- I got was that 100 in Nottingham, was it? I don't know.

I remember that one because I got like a little flower plaque or something after my match in Nottingham, my first round in Nottingham. So I remember that.

Otherwise, I don't really keep track of it or look into it until it happens and I get told in a press conference room or I get handed a flower plaque on court.

Q. Will you train tomorrow or rest to get over your flu or cold or whatever it is?
JOHANNA KONTA: I mean, we'll see. We've been taking it kind of day by day and just managing things well. And I have a practice booked, and we'll see how I wake up, how I sleep.

And, I mean, we've been doing our best to manage things well and to just do the things to basically tick over but try to not expend energy where I don't need to.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297