MIAMI OPEN PRESENTED BY ITAú

March 25, 2021

Johanna Konta

Press Conference

J. KONTA/M. Linette

6-4, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. We haven't seen you since Adelaide. Talk us through that match. And how have you been the last few weeks?

JOHANNA KONTA: No, I think since Adelaide I was able to visit my sister for a few days. That was really lovely. Spent time with my nephews. And then I was at home in London training.

Then I have been here in Miami since last week Thursday. I was able to spend some time with Dan, Dimitri, and Gill was also here, which is also great.

Then today I'm really happy to have come through that. It was a tough match, you know, against a tough opponent in tough conditions. It was hot, it was windy. You know, it was a lot of things out there to contend with. I was just really pleased that I was able to just compete well and find a way to come through.

Q. Kind of continuing that theme, how are you feeling in your game today? Did you feel there was anything that was working particularly well or anything you really want to work on going forward the next few weeks?

JOHANNA KONTA: I think today was one of those matches where it wasn't necessarily going to be pretty. It was very blustery out there. It was quite windy.

So it was quite tricky to serve, return, within points. But I think what I did was adapt well to that. I tried to still look for my opportunities to be able to move the ball around, to be able to put her on the run, and I thought I did that quite well.

I thought I just adapted well to the conditions. I still managed to serve well. Probably would have wanted to maybe hit a few more returns in, but I think under the conditions I was quite pleased, to be honest.

Q. I just wanted to ask you about Billie Jean King Cup. Is that something you're looking to play this season? I know you said last season you weren't going to play. How are you feeling about it now?

JOHANNA KONTA: I'm not going to be able to play it this year. I have already spoken to Annie K about it. Just because of how it falls in the calendar and just the amount of time my body needs after this tournament to transition onto the clay, I won't be able to do what I did back in 2019, because back then I basically finished Miami, trained on the clay, and then I went on to the hard to play at the (indiscernible) and then I went back on the clay.

That's not something I can do with my knee. I need to give it enough time after the hard to adapt to the clay, and I can't do such quick surface changes with it, so I won't be able to play this year.

Q. How is the knee going?

JOHANNA KONTA: Going well. I think, you know, I feel like it is going strength to strength. It's always kind of a knock-on-wood scenario, but definitely I'm really pleased with the load I'm able to put through it, the amount now I'm playing on court in practice, and the kind of training we're doing.

You know, it really has come in leaps in bounds. Overall I'm really pleased.

Q. In recent days a lot of the ATP players have been critical of how things are going with the protocols and stuff. In some ways it's been harder for the women, like end of the last year, fewer tournaments, things like that. I was wondering why the women seem to be taking it more in their stride?

JOHANNA KONTA: I don't know how to answer that (laughter). I mean, I don't know, to be honest. I don't know.

I mean, I'd like to think that we're a tough bunch, resilient bunch which I definitely think we are. That's not to say the men aren't resilient and tough in their own way, as well.

To be honest, I'm not too sure. I know that on the women's side, we have done a really good job in really trying our best. The WTA has really done a good job at trying their best to communicate with players. Obviously it's never perfect in the situations we have had, and this last kind of year and a half there has definitely, sorry, year, it definitely hasn't been straightforward by any means, but I know they have really invested a lot of time into trying to just keep the players informed as much as possible, as much as is possible.

I don't know if that has something to do with it. Maybe the players know a bit more of what's going on. I'm not sure.

But, yeah, you know, us women, we're a tough bunch.

Q. You may not have seen, but young Jack Draper collapsed on court. We've been waiting an eternity to speak to him. Looks like heat exhaustion. What advice would you give to him at this stage of his career dealing with that, playing in the extreme heat of Miami?

JOHANNA KONTA: I mean, I don't know. Obviously I have had my own battles as well when it comes to conditions. I remember at US Open once, I remember back in the day, I think it was a 50k in Lexington at the time where it was very, very hot. That was in I think July, as well.

I mean, I bet he's gutted and I know he was probably really looking forward to playing here. I'm sure he's going to be feeling a little bruised, but I'm sure he's also going to be taking a lot of good things in the amount of time that he was able to play on court. I mean, it's just going to be experience for him really. He'll digest that and use that for himself as his career keeps going on.

There is not much I can say than, you know, he's definitely going to be just kind of on his own journey and learning from things like this. That's for sure.

Q. You collected a player service award yesterday. Can you tell us a bit about that and what it means to you?

JOHANNA KONTA: Yeah, that was really lovely. It kind of took me by surprise. I know that us on the player council, women on the player council, we won that award as a joint group, but I kind of forgot about it and there were so many things happening anyway.

But it was nice to get a little plate. But yeah, I think it's just been really nice to be recognized alongside the other incredible women who are with me on the council. It's a really good group of girls. A lot of time and energy has been invested from all of them.

So it's nice to be recognized for that.