ROLAND GARROS

September 26, 2020

Johanna Konta

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Just looking at going into the French Open this year when you compare it with last year, you obviously had a lot of matches, it was your best-ever season on clay, how do you feel your game is now compared with where it was when you went into last year?

JOHANNA KONTA: Well, I mean, I think fundamentally it's a very different season, very different year, very different circumstances. Obviously I only had the opportunity to play the one tournament preceding French Open this year compared to I guess the three tournaments I played last year.

Also coming into the clay season last year, there had been a whole first part of a season as well. The whole thing is very, very different. I think it's important to kind of keep that perspective going into this French Open.

I'm still very hopeful, looking forward to it. I feel like I'm getting better each day I'm on the surface. I am very lucky I got to play two matches in Rome and a few matches in New York. I was quite pleased with that.

Just going to be going into this year's tournament with kind of every positivity, just looking to hopefully build on each match that I get to play.

Q. In terms of your draw, do you know Coco at all? What stands out for you about her game? What do you make of the extraordinary profile she has so early in her career?

JOHANNA KONTA: I think it's quite normal, whenever there's a young player that does exceptionally well, it is going to be sensationalized. It is just the nature of sport. I think it's something that's expected.

I don't know her that well, to be honest. I know she's very mature for her age. That's why she's able to compete at the level she's competing. She's physically and mentally mature enough to deal with the demands we have on tour. Obviously she's going to just keep getting better and better.

It's going to be a very good challenge for me. I'm looking forward to playing her. I think it's important whoever you're playing when you go out there, you're playing the level of the day as she is playing with me. It's kind of just playing the tennis that you can on the day.

Q. They say that Paris is the city of love. You reached the semis last year. Do you feel like you've developed a bit of a love/hate relationship on the clay, also possibly the British media as well? Off the back of that, what do you love most about the clay, what do you hate most about the clay? What do you love and hate about the British media? Feel free to share the love.

JOHANNA KONTA: I'm sorry, is anyone else laughing back there in the room (laughter)? That was one of the best questions.

Okay, so I'll break it down into sections.

I wouldn't say I have a love/hate relationship with neither the clay nor the French Open nor the British media. I think in terms of the tournament here and the clay in general, I've always loved clay. I have. When I was younger, I actually had my best results on the clay surface. I never really felt that there was any reason why I couldn't do well here.

Yeah, it was nice to do well here last year I guess to kind of prove that.

In terms of the tournament in Paris, I always have a wonderful time. Obviously this year is slightly different for me. Usually I stay at an apartment, which I've been renting for years when I come here. It's a very different experience. Something again new. We're staying right next to the Eiffel Tower, which I can see from my balcony, which is a very privileged and special thing to experience as well.

In terms of the British media, we're kind of stuck with each other, so it is what it is (laughter).

Q. How impressed have you been by Coco's activism this summer? She's been sort of promoting Black Lives Matter, diversity across sport and life. How impressed have you been by what she's doing outside of the tennis court?

JOHANNA KONTA: I think there's a few players on our circuit who this movement will hit a lot closer to home maybe than other people. I think they really have a real voice to be able to possibly speak from experience, but also be surrounded by people who may have had the experiences that they are advocating against, actually all of us are advocating against.

I think her and Sloane and Naomi have all been very vocal, rightly so. I think it just shows her maturity. It shows obviously that she's been able to grow this platform that she has. She's using it towards something that she believes in.

Q. On Coco, obviously she's had a lot of good wins at Grand Slams. We've seen her opponents maybe not particularly enjoy playing her. It seems like psychologically it's quite hard playing somebody that young. Maybe you put more pressure on yourself. Do you feel like that? Is it hard psychologically playing a teenager?

JOHANNA KONTA: I think it depends on the approach you go into it. I'm very clear on the fact that I'm going in playing another professional tennis player who is one of the best ranked in the world. It doesn't matter if she's 14 or 40. I think she's there for a reason. It's going out on court respecting the player that I'm about to play.

I'm going to be playing against the tennis that she brings, not her social media following, not her persona. I'm going out there to play the player that she is, and equally she is with me.

As long as I can keep a good perspective, I'll give my best chance to try and be competitive and do the best that I can against the player that I'm coming up against.

Q. You mentioned Coco being sort of sensationalized, a lot of media attention. In your opinion, how difficult can that be or is that for someone of her age, to have those kind of expectations? Do you see there could be some pitfalls and adversity she'd have to face?

JOHANNA KONTA: I think players face adversity regardless of their journey. I can't relate to her type of journey. I was never sensationalized as a young player. I matured quite late physically, mentally, emotionally, actually very late. My journey has been very, very different.

But I think everyone is going to be faced with adversity. Everyone is going to have to deal with the challenges that come their way. Hers is very specific to her.

There's definitely been players in the past who have done well young and have had the same or similar, I guess, spotlight and media attention that she is having right now. So maybe those kind of players will be able to shed more light and draw from their experience.

But my experience has been very different.

Q. What is it like to be an employer in tennis? Most athletes in team sports, they don't have to go through hiring people, figuring out what works for you. What is that like? How has that changed over the years? As a top player now, your needs and what you're looking for is different from when you maybe needed more help when you were younger.

JOHANNA KONTA: I feel like you answered your own question there better than I could have (laughter).

I mean, yeah, like you said, when you're young, your needs are going to be very different than when you're an older, more mature player. Equally I enjoy that process of developing and understanding myself, knowing what kind of people I would like to work with.

Also I think the opportunities that you get also depend on the support you have, the players you have. But basically the amount of financial access you have will also dictate kind of what options you have available to you.

But for sure I think as I've gone through my career, I've had the opportunity to work with some great people. I think as I get older, I keep trying to just learn about myself more, and therefore, try to hire the best people that I can that are suited to me.

Q. Given that you are at the stage of your career you are, do you think you need or will you be looking for another permanent coach to go along with Dan Smethurst? A full-time coach is what I mean.

JOHANNA KONTA: Yeah, I don't think anyone looks for a non-permanent coach (smiling).

For sure, I definitely am still thinking about who would be a good fit to bring into the team, who do I feel like I could really learn from or kind of buy into the vision they have, also for me to share the vision I have for myself. It's that kind of process.

Yeah, I'm definitely still very open to seeing who I could be working with.

Q. Looking at your experiences of reaching the semifinals last year, do you feel like you learnt something from that experience that puts you in good stead for this year?

JOHANNA KONTA: I think obviously having had that really great result last year here, I can only draw from that experience in terms of good memories, good feelings, which hopefully should give me some energy and should make this an enjoyable year again for me.

Equally so, I haven't had good results previous to last year here. I still stay very hopeful and very positive. Therefore, I think that also helped me to do well last year. Every time I'm here, I'm just adding to my bank of experience in general in this sport, but obviously specific to each tournament you're at. For me here now.

For sure, I think it can only help me to hopefully play some good tennis here this fortnight.

Q. There's been a lot of talk about the conditions, the weather, the balls. How have you found it? How do you think you'll fare in the very different conditions?

JOHANNA KONTA: Yeah, I mean, it's freezing. It's cold. We're out there in September, almost in October. I mean, I don't think anyone really thought it was going to be hot.

I think French Open's always got a tricky slot anyway, even in May. The weather can be quite hit-or-miss. There's plenty of cold, rainy days during the normal fortnight that the French Open is usually scheduled in.

I guess the added difference here is it kind of feels springtime, so you get the odd warm day, sometimes a hot weekend. Right now it's just cold, cold, cold, cold. At least it's not raining today, which is good.

But, yeah, I think obviously it's been an adaption to the balls as well. It's strange seeing Wilson balls here. It was something to get used to. It was just a strange thing. I don't think there have ever been Wilson balls here, at least not while I've been playing.

For me, I can only speak for myself. I'm happy to be here regardless of the circumstances or regardless of kind of the conditions. I feel very privileged and very lucky that I get to play.

Q. Looking back at the year as a whole, challenging for everyone. For you personally, what has been the most difficult part of this year?

JOHANNA KONTA: I mean, that's such a big question. Most difficult part? I guess in terms of obviously tennis-wise I think for everyone to not be able to work, to not be able to do what you love to do, just be able to actually do what you do on a daily basis I think was going to be challenging for everyone.

For me personally, I think it was very difficult to try and find the motivation every day when we were in full lockdown at home where I could only train in my living room to kind of get myself to be able to want to train for two hours in my living room. That definitely wasn't a motivating environment, so that was very difficult.

Then I think as a whole, probably maintaining some perspective and kindness towards yourself. Once you start back, it's obviously very easy to suddenly really want to do well, kind of really want things to start moving. It doesn't quite work like that for me at least. I need to give myself some space and time, kind of let things take care of itself really.