INTERNAZIONALI BNL D'ITALIA

September 18, 2020

Johanna Konta

Press Conference

G. MUGURUZA/J. Konta

6-4, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You've had a lot of tough battles with Garbine in the past. What do you think made the difference today?

JOHANNA KONTA: She played better than I did. I mean, I think we definitely had some close games, so it had potential for it to be a bit closer. But I think overall she just played consistently a bit better.

She was playing quite fast, and I think I just struggled to kind of move her out of the court and also just to extend the rallies a little bit.

To be fair, I think quite a lot of that is a credit to her. However, I need to do a bit better next time.

Q. So after two matches on clay, how do you feel on this surface?

JOHANNA KONTA: Like I have played two matches on clay (smiling). You know, no one is going to be feeling comfortable. No one is going to be feeling mega kind of prepared, whether they didn't go to the U.S. and didn't play on hard and have been training on clay but then they haven't played a lot of matches or the players that were on hard and now transitioning onto the clay haven't obviously had a lot of time on the clay to transition.

Everyone is dealing with something. You know, overall I'm happy with the match I played yesterday. I think there was still some good things today. A lot of things I can do better. I'll get another chance to do better in Paris.

Q. It's been reported you split with Thomas, so that trial period has ended. Can you explain your decision behind that, please.

JOHANNA KONTA: Thomas and I, we only agreed to do a trial over the U.S. period, three weeks. Off the back of that, it just wasn't really for either of us.

Q. Is Dan going to be in your corner at the French Open? Does changing coach affect your preparation, your plans for the French Open?

JOHANNA KONTA: Well, I haven't really changed coach. You know, I was getting to know Thomas, so we spent three weeks together. I hadn't exactly been with him for months and months. So I don't think there is really any change going on.

But, yeah, no, Dan is still with me and he'll be in Paris.

Q. You seemed quite positive about how things were going with Thomas over in the States, so can you just say why you didn't feel it was working?

JOHANNA KONTA: I mean, I think I was, I mean, positive. I was open to getting to know him.

Whenever you get to know a coach, you have to be open to seeing if it's something that works for you. It just wasn't something that basically worked for me, really, or worked for either of us.

You know, things have to match up. You have to be able to bring the best out of each other, and we just didn't feel that it was going to be a good fit.

Q. Are you going to find somebody else quite quickly or just give yourself time?

JOHANNA KONTA: I think TBC, you know. I haven't really thought too much of it. I think when the person will come along, I'll know. Yeah, I haven't really thought too much of it.

Q. I was going to ask you the same thing, but it doesn't seem to bother you that you have this constant regular turnover of coach.

JOHANNA KONTA: I can't quite hear you.

Q. It's quite regular you change your coaches. Doesn't seem to be an issue for you. Is there any particular reason why you feel you change coaches so often?

JOHANNA KONTA: I don't think I change coaches often. You know, I worked with Dimitri for a year and a half. That ended -- actually, I didn't want that to end. That ended because of personal circumstances.

You know, since then, I have still continued to work with Dan who is also my coaching team. There is a lot of continuation there. I met with Thomas for three weeks. So I didn't hire him as a coach, so I was getting to know him.

I don't think I necessarily change that regularly. I think half the time that it does change, it's not because I want it to.

I think there is also plenty of players out there who I think are probably changing like I am at certain points, but, yeah, I'm not really sure what else to say on that (smiling).

Q. Do you go back to London now or head straight to Paris? What are your plans? Are you playing Strasbourg, for example, next week?

JOHANNA KONTA: Strasbourg? I'm planning to go back home for a few days, and then I will head to Paris next week sometime.

Q. Such a wonderful run 12 months ago, 15 months ago. How would you assess your chances on clay, given this rescheduled slam next week?

JOHANNA KONTA: I think I have every chance of doing well. I think I was playing some good tennis here, which I'd like to build on and do better I think in Paris. And I also was playing some good tennis out in the States, in New York.

I think I have every opportunity to do well, but, you know, there is 128 girls in the draw as well who have every opportunity to do well.