June 10, 2014
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND
J. KONTA/K. Nara
6‑3, 6‑1
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Well done today. How did you feel you played?
JOHANNA KONTA: I felt I played quite a solid match. You know, first rounds of a tournament can always be a bit more nerve wracking.
Just happy that I went out there and took point by point and took care of business on my end.
Q. When you saw her in the draw, you obviously have a great record against her and you beat her last year, didn't you? Did that fill you with confidence straightaway?
JOHANNA KONTA: Not necessarily. I guess confidence maybe in the way that I knew roughly what to expect. I had a clear game plan.
However, obviously she's been playing well lately. She won her first WTA earlier in the year, so I was expecting her to be in good form and she is in good form.
I just managed to win some key points during the match. I don't think the scoreline really shows how the match was.
Q. What are your hopes for this tournament and going forward into the grass court season?
JOHANNA KONTA: Just do as well as I can, really. I take it match by match and point by point even.
So we'll see how it goes.
Q. It's Heather next up, isn't it?
JOHANNA KONTA: I haven't looked at the draw.
Q. If she wins today, it's Heather.
JOHANNA KONTA: Okay.
Q. What are your thoughts on facing Heather? She's a set up.
JOHANNA KONTA: I would like to see when the match finishes first to see who I play. I've played her once last year and we didn't finish the match. She was not well.
It'll be fun. It's in front of a British crowd it'll be interesting, good atmosphere.
Yeah, no I'm looking forward to it if that will be the case.
Q. Are you guys friends?
JOHANNA KONTA: Yeah, no, we get along. Obviously we're on the Fed Cup team together, so yeah, it'll be fun. (Smiling.)
Q. I think it was a case that maybe your match could have been on center court today. Did you feel like that should have been the case?
JOHANNA KONTA: To be honest, I didn't really think about it. We get the schedule; I see when I play; I don't necessarily look where I play.
As long as I'm on a court, that's a good thing. So, yeah, no, I didn't feel that was really a factor.
Q. Can I ask you about Aljaz Bedene, the Slovenian...
JOHANNA KONTA: Is that a player?
Q. Yeah, Slovenian chap that taking British nationality. Your thoughts about that? He's going down not entirely the same road, but similar to you. Do you think it's good?  We should welcome him onto the Davis Cup team?
JOHANNA KONTA: Well, obviously my route of becoming British was a very long one. I've been in the country almost ten years now. Not sure of his story, but obviously he feels strongly for being here and to represent Great Britain.
I know that Great Britain is my home. This is where I grew up, so of course I would welcome him with open arms, and I hope the Davis Cup team do as well.
I'm sure he'll do us proud.
Q. Why is Britain so attractive to guys that maybe want to come take British nationality?
JOHANNA KONTA: Is it? It's only been me, and now Aljaz. I'm not you be who else has‑‑ obviously Laura has an Australian passport as well. I didn't really think much.
But, I mean, you see players moving to different countries and growing up in different areas. Navratilova, didn't she convert to United States citizenship? So it's not an uncommon thing to do.
I think wherever a player feels that that's home for them and where they feel most connected to, whatever country that is, they should be able to represent that country.
Q. It was a very big crowd. What was the atmosphere like?
JOHANNA KONTA: The atmosphere has always been good here. There are a lot of children around, so a lot of very‑‑ that kind of children clapping which is very exciting. So I think that you feel that energy through the whole tournament.
Same as last year. This is my second year here. You, no, it's lots of people, so that always adds atmosphere.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
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