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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 2, 2019

Johanna Konta

Wimbledon, London, England

J. KONTA/A. Bogdan

7-5, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. The Duchess of Cambridge was there. You met before, haven't you?
JOHANNA KONTA: Yeah, no, I met her once before at the LTA. You know the answer to your own question.

Yeah, I got to meet her briefly, say hello to her briefly before I played today. That was nice.

Q. What did she say to you?
JOHANNA KONTA: We were just actually talking about Court 1, the new roof, playing on there, if it will be any different. I said I'll let her know.

Q. How is her forehand?
JOHANNA KONTA: I don't know.

Q. You haven't seen her play at the LTA?
JOHANNA KONTA: She came to the LTA, they were basically taking her through all the initiatives they were rolling out in the country at that time. She was just going through all those.

Q. Talk through the first set, which seemed quite tight.
JOHANNA KONTA: Even in that second set, obviously until the last game of the match, I mean, it was only one break up until then in that second set.

Yeah, there was very little in that match. I think first rounds are always tricky in any tournament, but especially slams. So I think it was just finding my feet and also for her a little bit, as well, I think we were just both trying to find the best level that we could.

Yeah, I was really pleased with how I served, how I just competed in general. I thought I just accepted whatever was coming my way. She was playing actually really well and tough. Yeah, overall just pleased to have come through.

Q. I'm sure you don't really sort of look at who is watching you. Must be pretty cool to be watched by royalty.
JOHANNA KONTA: I didn't actually see her watching me. I was told she might come, but then I also know that their plans can change very quickly. I didn't see her.

I hope she enjoyed it because I enjoyed playing.

Q. It's been an amazing day for the Brits. I don't know whether you caught up with the results.
JOHANNA KONTA: I saw briefly that Harriet had a really good comeback, she won in three sets. But that's all I saw. I don't know how Katie did.

Q. Katie lost. There are now seven Brits through to the second round.
JOHANNA KONTA: I think that's great. I think there's every reason for us to be able to do that. I mean, we've got such great players. Yeah, that's really a good position for us.

Q. If you know there's a member of the Royal family in the house at Wimbledon, does it add at all to the pressure of putting on a show fit for royalty?
JOHANNA KONTA: I mean, obviously it's exciting. It's always exciting to have members of the Royal family come to this event. I think it adds just to the air of the place, makes it that much more special, especially for everybody who knows that royalty is coming more than anything.

I can only do the best that I can do. That doesn't really differ according to who's watching. I think that pretty much stays the same.

Q. In that context, were you pleased with the way you played?
JOHANNA KONTA: Yeah, no, for sure. I think I dealt with the challenges well out there. There were plenty of them. I was pleased with just how I played the game, just really tried to find a way to problem solve out there.

Q. Your record in Grand Slams is sort of quite polar. You have a tendency to go deep if you do get past the early hurdles. Is that coincidence or is there something in that?
JOHANNA KONTA: Generally if you get -- each round you get through, the further you get. Generally if you get through the first rounds, you are going to get further in the tournament. I think that's just the way it goes with winning matches.

But, I mean, I'm not really sure what to say to that because I come up against tough players in every round. When I step out onto court, it's 50/50 whether I'm going to come through with a win or a loss.

Yeah, I don't really think of what round I'm in.

Q. You don't feel you are a momentum player, pick up momentum as the tournament goes on?
JOHANNA KONTA: I think every player is a momentum player, if you want to classify them. I think everybody plays better and better the more matches they get under their belt. Every player on tour will feel more and more comfortable with the setting the more matches they get in that setting.

I don't think that's anything unique to me or anybody. I think that's just the nature of our sport really.

Q. Sitting watching Court 1, the look and sound of it was very different from last year. Did it feel different to you?
JOHANNA KONTA: I didn't play on Court 1 last year. I played the previous year obviously plenty.

It was really beautiful out there. It's really similar to Centre Court aesthetically. It's similar with the roof. I mean, it's beautiful.

Acoustics-wise, I didn't notice anything. Then I'm not the most - what's the word - I don't notice a lot of things when I'm out on court, regardless of what it is. But it's beautiful. I was really pleased and excited to be out there.

Q. Thinking back to the royals, are you a royalist? Do you follow them? Do you like all the ceremony, stuff like that?
JOHANNA KONTA: I think the royal family is great. I'm a big fan of the royal family. But I'm a big fan of tradition. I think that goes very much in hand with that.

Yeah, no, I really think they do a lot for us. I really like them.

Q. Obviously the main thing is getting the win. How nice is it that you were on the court for less than an hour and a half in the first round?
JOHANNA KONTA: I mean, I think it was actually quite a tough match, we had quite a few physical points. Grass is always going to have a few more shorter points than any other surface. In terms of how physical a match can get in two sets, I thought actually there was decent court time, decent hits there.

I'm happy. However long it's going to take is however long it's going to take. Overall I was just pleased I was able to find a solution to the different problems she was giving. For it to be in two sets, obviously that's great. Three sets is fine, too.

Q. In the platoon of British players, you're the highest ranked, men's or ladies. Do you enjoy the responsibility of being the standard bearer for British tennis?
JOHANNA KONTA: I don't think I'm alone. Like you said, there's seven other British players in the next round. I like to think we're all in it together.

I definitely am just really pleased to be playing the tennis that I'm playing in general. I don't necessarily look at what my ranking is, how that compares to other players in the country, outside of the country. I'm on my own journey to grow and get better. I'm enjoying that process. Just really pleased I was able to play a good first round and get an opportunity to play a second round.

Q. Potentially our best pool of players since 2007. Why is it clicking for British tennis? Is it home advantage?
JOHANNA KONTA: I don't think there's one specific -- I don't think one brush will basically paint everybody the reason why they're through. I think everybody's on their own journey. Everybody is going through their own hardships and their own victories.

Everybody is working hard. Everybody is trying to get better. It's nice to see the rewards come for some players whenever they come. I don't think there's one specific reason, yeah. Sorry. I don't know.

Q. On your second-round opponent, Siniakova, how do you feel about that matchup?
JOHANNA KONTA: She's a tough player. She had a great win in Paris. She's able to beat some of the best players. She has a big game. She's feisty. She competes very well. Obviously she's a very, very good doubles player as well.

It will be a tough match for me. Yeah, looking forward to another tough match against a tough opponent.

Q. Are you enjoying this? In past years, by Tuesday night in the first week, sometimes Andy Murray was the only Brit left. You sound like you're quite enjoying this.
JOHANNA KONTA: I'm generally enjoying this chat we're having. So, yeah, I'm enjoying our chat. I'm in a good mood. I had a good massage. I had a good shake, recovery shake, yeah. Everything good.

Q. The Duchess might be here the finals weekend. Would you like to see her again?
JOHANNA KONTA: Yes, I would.

Q. Have you been allowed Bono into...
JOHANNA KONTA: Bono is not allowed here. Now that we're talking about royals, we call them HRH, his royal hund, because he's a hound.

Q. Did you ask them if he could come and you were told no?
JOHANNA KONTA: No, I didn't ask, because I know the rule is no pets are allowed, so yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Any more questions?

JOHANNA KONTA: Not one more about the Duchess of Cambridge? Did we cover all that (smiling)?

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