	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

THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 9, 2019

Johanna Konta

Wimbledon, London, England

B. STRYCOVA/J. Konta

7-6, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Could you briefly explain what happened in that match with the 4-1 lead, eventually unfortunately you were on the wrong end of the result this time.
JOHANNA KONTA: Uhm, I mean, I guess what happened is that I have an opponent on the other side of the court who has everything to say in how the match goes, as well.

I think she was playing very well. I think I couldn't quite find the level that I needed to make it difficult and challenging for the kind of player she is. She's a very difficult player to play on this surface, and in general. She's a very good player.

It's just, yeah, unfortunate I couldn't quite find the level needed to come through.

Q. Barbora is one of the few players that plays a fair amount of serve and volley. What is your take on what that does to you as a returner, how it can take you off balance?
JOHANNA KONTA: Uhm, I mean, it's definitely not something we see as much of in today's game. I know she plays a lot of doubles and she's very successful in doubles, as well. So I know she's very good at the net.

I actually didn't think she served and volleyed that much against me today. But I knew going into the match that was something she was going to be using. I would say I was prepared for it. I knew it was coming. And I didn't feel anything too bad against it or anything. I mean, I think she did well. She played a lot of good points like that.

But, again, yeah, I didn't think she actually served and volleyed as much as in maybe previous matches. I don't know. That's just what it felt like.

Q. You said after losing the French Open semifinals that you had no regrets, you wouldn't do anything differently. I'm wondering if you found similar feelings today or are there moments in your mind that you wish you had done something differently, wish your approach had been different?
JOHANNA KONTA: No, I'm in the same boat still. I mean, I went out there, I did my best. My best today just wasn't good enough.

But every decision that I made, every thought process, every opportunity that I gave myself, everything, I have no regrets in doing. I did the best that I could.

Q. Talk about how dangerous she is on this surface. What are the things she does that makes you so uncomfortable?
JOHANNA KONTA: I think it's a combination. I think, I mean, she moves very well, so she gets a lot of balls back. She asks you a lot of questions with a lot of balls. She's able to move the ball around in kind of a tricky way. She can slice really well. She can slow the game down quite well.

She I think gives her opponents every opportunity to not feel great out there. That's what she handed to me. I couldn't find an answer for it today. And, yeah, that's what made her good.

Q. Looking at numbers, 33 unforced errors, then you had a smash at the net which you hit straight to her, then towards the end of the third set you had a double-fault, then missed a drive volley. Do you not have to look at yourself a little bit about how you cope with these big points? It's all very well saying it's a lot to do with your opponent, but there were key points when you perhaps could have done better.
JOHANNA KONTA: Is that in your professional tennis opinion?

Q. No, that's just as a watching spectator with everyone else on Centre Court willing you on. And the numbers are IBM's.
JOHANNA KONTA: Okay. I mean, I don't think you need to pick on me in a harsh way. I mean, I think I'm very open with you guys. I say how I feel out there. If you don't want to accept that answer or you don't agree with it, that's fine.

I still believe in the tennis that I play. I still believe in the way I competed. Yeah, I don't have much else to say to your question.

Q. I'm just asking you as somebody who presumably wants to go on from here, learn from this, win a Grand Slam one day. Is it not something --
JOHANNA KONTA: Please don't patronize me.

Q. I'm not patronizing you.
JOHANNA KONTA: No, no, you are. In the way you're asking your question, you're being quite disrespectful and you're patronizing me. I'm a professional competitor who did her best today, and that's all there is to that.

THE MODERATOR: Let's move on to the next question.

Q. There was a moment of X-rated language from yourself on court. Was that a sign of the frustration you were feeling in the second set?
JOHANNA KONTA: I mean, I guess I don't recall. Yeah, I mean, she's a frustrating player to play. I mean, I definitely found myself in a few frustrating positions out there.

Apologies if I swore.

Q. It's obviously a huge occasion out there. Do you feel nerves or tension played a part? Was it more the way she made you feel?
JOHANNA KONTA: I mean, I was obviously nervous going into the match. But good nerves, excitement, anticipation. I think I wouldn't say that had anything to do with the level that I played or any difficulty.

I think, yeah, no, it was a combination of just not finding my level, and her not giving me the opportunity to find my level more than anything.

Q. Earlier today the veteran tennis players were playing. I spoke to Andrew Castle. He said just behind the scenes lots of female tennis players said they had to deal with quite a lot of abuse on social media, much more than the men. Is that something you've experienced? Can you divorce yourself from it?
JOHANNA KONTA: I think it's familiar to everybody who has a social media account and who is in a sport which gets publicized. I think, yeah, no, I definitely have had loads of experiences, loads of people wanting me to die and things like that. I don't think that's new to anyone.

I don't generally look at it. I don't really deal with it. I have someone who kind of filters out and blocks and deletes the people. But, yeah, it's unfortunate that it's a part of it, yeah.

Q. You played two quite big matches in 72 hours before this three-setter. Do you feel that maybe took it out of you a bit, maybe emotionally flat today, part of the emotional, physical maybe?
JOHANNA KONTA: I think everybody who's at this stage of the tournament is going to be coming into these matches today with some fatigue. I'm definitely in that same boat. I mean, I played four very tough matches, but two obviously longer and a little bit more physically demanding matches in the last two.

But I felt physically prepared and emotionally prepared to compete today. So, yeah...

Q. It's been quite a long European stint for you. How long will it take you to realistically sort of recoup from this match? What do the next few weeks look like?
JOHANNA KONTA: I'm going to take some time off, probably stay at home. Then I'll be training for a few weeks. Then planning to start with Toronto. Kind of a combination of rest and training before then.

Q. It's the same as in France, you played top-10 players here, you played against them superbly and beat them. You lost to an unseeded player. Do you think part of it is the weight of pressure of expectation on you?
JOHANNA KONTA: No, I wouldn't say so. Both the players that I lost to, I'd lost to previously. They're very capable. They've beaten me before.

Also my opponent equally earned her right to be in the quarterfinals, as well. And in the French Open equally earned her right to be in the semifinals against me.

I don't have any more of a right to winning these matches than my opponents. It's unfortunate that it's worked out like that in terms of how it looks on paper with the rankings. However, on court or how I feel in the match, no.

Q. Did it feel a little like the French semi out there today?
JOHANNA KONTA: No, actually I thought I played better in my French semifinal. I thought the conditions were a lot trickier in terms of the conditions we played in. There was a lot more wind and things like that. I think that played a factor.

Player-wise, they're probably a little similar. I mean, slightly different court, as well, different surface. But no, actually I thought I played better there than in this match.

Q. How do you reflect on your whole tournament?
JOHANNA KONTA: I mean, I think I've played a great tournament. Obviously I would have liked to have played three more matches, won three more matches. But I really feel that even including today, I can take a lot away from these 10 days. The players that I've played and beaten, also lost to today, I think overall there's a lot I can be proud of and take from it.

Q. You keep going deep into Grand Slams and not going all the way to the finals. Does that convince you you're going to be there one day or does that concern you it's always going to be nearly?
JOHANNA KONTA: I think the best I can do is put myself in the positions, to give myself the opportunity to keep going further and further. I mean, it will either happen or it won't.

I'm no less of a person or a player if I don't get past this point. Equally so if I do. I think, yeah, I play this game with dignity, and I love the sport. I'm grateful for everything that it brings me.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297