THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 26, 2021

Johanna Konta

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

JOHANNA KONTA: It's nice to be back here, isn't it? Everyone else have the same enthusiasm as me, please (laughter).

I can see myself on the camera. I'm not sunburnt. I don't know why I look so red. I used my SPF 50 (smiling).

Q. Good to see you in good form today.

JOHANNA KONTA: Did you watch me hit today?

Q. You're in a good mood.

JOHANNA KONTA: I'm generally in a good mood. Trust me, I bring it (laughter).

Q. It's a unique Wimbledon. How are you finding it generally, the bubble? What tricks have you been doing to keep your good mood up, away from the tennis, to keep your spirits up?

JOHANNA KONTA: I mean, I have two dogs at home, so they generally do that for me. They make it really easy to be in a good mood.

But in terms of the bubble life, it is very odd. It's odd to drive past kind of my home every day on the way to Wimbledon, kind of half an hour into the journey I'm like, Oh, okay. That is odd.

It's a small price to pay to be able to be back and playing again here at Wimbledon. Yeah, I mean, the way the setup is, it's quite similar to the US Open. It's kind of like an all-inclusive cruise, that's what it feels like. I've never been on a cruise, but that's how I imagine an all-inclusive cruise to be.

Q. Can I just ask about your knee and how that is. You said you weren't going to play Eastbourne to give it a bit of a rest. Does it feel okay? Are you moving okay?

JOHANNA KONTA: Yeah, no, I feel pretty good. I was able to kind of offload it, then build it back up. The pain has stayed quite low and the management of it is going well.

I'm playing normal, so I'm looking forward to competing here.

Q. I'm wondering how you would describe what the return of Wimbledon means for the country and for the tennis world?

JOHANNA KONTA: Well, for us specifically here at home, I think Wimbledon is just such a big part of our sporting summer. To have it back I think it's a bit of a boost. I think it shows a bit of normality coming back. I think for us that's really nice.

In terms of globally, it is one of the four slams. It's a very unique slam. I think to just have it back on the screens, have it back for sports fans, tennis fans, it's just really good. It's great.

Q. Might be a silly question, but since getting engaged, settled in your home life, has that made you a happier person on the tour?

JOHANNA KONTA: No, no. I was generally a happy person before. Granted, you guys see me pretty much every day when it comes to a tournament. I'm not going to be on my top form every day. Like, give me a break. But I am generally a happy person.

Yeah, I am very happy with my home life. I have a wonderful fiancé, I have two wonderful dogs. I am very grateful what I have in my life, yes.

Q. What do you make of your draw? You played Katerina I think at Wimbledon two years ago, didn't you? Obviously she's a very experienced player. I think she's just been in the final of Bad Homburg.

JOHANNA KONTA: Yes, she's a very good player. Like you said, she's been around for years and years. She won the doubles title here. She's very competent on this surface. She's just a very good player.

It's going to be a tough match for me. But I'm looking forward to it. I'm just looking forward to playing. It was going to be regardless who I play it was going to be a tough match. There's no easy matches.

So it will just be a great opportunity for me to play against someone who's in good form at one of the biggest stages in the world.

Q. Regarding the lovely happy stuff again, I wonder if you got used to the idea of the word 'wife' yet?

JOHANNA KONTA: No, because I haven't really said 'wife' because I'm only engaged. Right now we're just saying 'fiancée'. 'Fiancée' I have gotten used to. I've said it more than he has, I think, but just because I probably talk about it more than he does.

When I was trying on my engagement ring, then I had to try on a wedding band as well with it. Actually both Jacks and I were like, Wedding band? Like, Whoa, wedding band. Oh, my God, that's what comes next, it's a wedding band. We'll get to that stage soon (smiling).

Q. Are you allowed to have your dogs in the bubble? If not, who is looking after them?

JOHANNA KONTA: No, they're not allowed in the bubble. To be honest, they don't really know what they're missing out on because I only think they would add to the atmosphere. I think, yeah, people have really missed out there.

But they're just staying with family. They're being looked after by family. They're actually having a whale of a time. I think they're absolutely fine.

Q. For people from other countries, how would you describe what this country has gone through during the pandemic and where things are now?

JOHANNA KONTA: I think that's a really tough one just because I think it's hard to speak about your own misery or your own difficulties without almost inadvertently belittling others. I think it would be insensitive and inappropriate for me to do that.

I mean, all I can say is everywhere I've gone, everyone everywhere has been affected by this. There's not maybe one place on earth - maybe Antarctica, I don't know - that hasn't been affected by what's happened in the world. And that's just the same here at home. A lot of people have lost their lives, a lot of people have lost their jobs, a lot of people have seen very, very difficult times.

I think everyone is just trying to do their best to pull through and to start rebuilding their lives, start continuing on their lives. I think that's just the same everywhere.

Q. Fran Jones has Coco Gauff in the first round. What is it like to play the 17-year-old? What is it like when she's hitting the balls across the net? What advice would you give Francesca?

JOHANNA KONTA: Fran is an incredible competitor. She's an incredibly tough, resilient person. I think she's going to be going out there and she's going to be giving it her all, quite literally.

I don't know what advice I would give her. But Coco is also a very, very good player. She competes incredibly well. She's very mature physically and mentally for her age. You can see the way she carries herself on court, the way she's able to stay there and compete.

I think it will be a great match. Yeah, I think it will be a great match for both of them.

Q. Do you Zoom the dogs?

JOHANNA KONTA: No, no. They haven't quite figured it out yet. We get pup-dates, though (smiling).