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Insanely mature interview by Konta

5K views 34 replies 33 participants last post by  mattypark 
#1 ·
A glimpse into her new psyche that is bringing her success in her tennis career. Some snippets:

Q. Was there ever a time when you would, say, be walking through the corridors at Wimbledon or something and see some very leading player and be kind of intimidated and a little bit shy?

JOHANNA KONTA: I don't think -- I don't really get shy, I don't think. I mean -- well, I don't think I'm the opposite, either. I don't know.

I feel I have a lot of respect for every single player on tour, whether they are multiple Grand Slam champions, whether they are former world No. 1, whether they have been around 60 or 100 for their whole career.

I think that respect comes from the knowledge that, to a certain extent, we all kind of know what the other person has gone through to get to where they have, the early years, the journey, the tough times, the victories.

I think that's where my respect for every player comes from. I respect that they have been working just as hard as I have, so I don't think -- it's almost trying to relate to every player there. That's why I don't necessarily feel I would get too shy around anyone.

Q. Serena said that she's been following your game a lot. She's been sort of keeping an eye on it. Does that make you feel that perhaps you've got her worried? Because she's been following your game a lot.

JOHANNA KONTA: Well, that's nice to hear, but I don't necessarily think that Serena Williams possibly gets too worried. Just the amount of experience she has, I'm sure she's got her system and her method for preparing for every match, regardless who she plays, and I'm sure she's going to be applying that method against me.

So I think -- yeah, I just hope we play a great match and that we bring a good level and so the crowd will enjoy it and will get into it.

Yeah, I'm just looking forward to whatever -- I think it's Wednesday -- holds. Yes, it's Wednesday, right?

Q. When you talk about disassociating yourself from the big moments, obviously a lot of players struggle to do it, and I'm sure you struggled to do it five years ago. Why is that so difficult for most players? Why was it difficult early on to kind of be able to not be overwhelmed by the importance of moments in a match?

JOHANNA KONTA: I think it's difficult, because you have also got to put things in perspective. Everyone you see playing has been playing since they were a little girl. And it's no secret that to get to whatever sport or even whatever area of life, if you want to be part of the elite and if you want to get to the top of your field, there will be numerous sacrifices you'll need to make.

And I think when you get to a position where you might see a glimmer of what you have dreamed of as a little girl or what you hoped for, what you've worked so hard for, it can feel kind of an all-or-nothing moment or what if I never get this chance again?

I think it's more a bit of possibly fear of being able to replicate the position you're in more than anything, but then I think that's where you have also got to have a good perspective on things, and you've got to keep, I guess, the simple things in mind of what's important to you. Are you healthy? Is your family healthy? Do you have people around you that you love? Do you have people around you that love you?

I know it might sound really mundane and simple, but I guess you've got to, I guess, go back to things that have got substance, and then in the end just trust in the work that you do, if it's in the cards for you that you will get another opportunity or you won't, I think, really love the sport for what it is and be grateful for the opportunities that it brings you, not necessarily what you wish it would.

Q. You talked about sacrifice. Can you be a little bit more specific and say what you feel you have sacrificed by going on this journey, being a tennis pro?

JOHANNA KONTA: How long do we have, guys? (Smiling.)

Without getting too personal, because obviously those types of conversations are very personal. No offense, guys. I know we're close, but we're not that close (smiling).

But it's also not necessarily just your own personal sacrifice. It's also the people around you. No one makes it on their own. Even though this is an individual sport, you rely on a support system. Whether that's your parents, whether other family members, whether it's close friends, or the coaching team you have from a very young age, I think it becomes -- it's not just a job. It's a way of life.

And all of you live and breathe it and really put every inch of yourself into it to try and get to here, really.

So I think along the way, like with anything, you will find difficulties. You will move continents. You will -- not me personally, but I know a lot of players, you will have some career-threatening injuries.

So there are different things that life throws at you, and I think it's in the face of that where you, yeah, where you try to push through and then continue to, I guess, keep hope more than anything and keep working.

Q. Going back to the separating yourself from the importance of the moment, in that nanosecond where the little voice in your ear goes, Psst, it's match point, what is the trigger that you can shut that voice out, and how long does that take for it to become automatic?

JOHANNA KONTA: I don't think it's about necessarily, for me personally, anyway, about shutting it out. It's more accepting that, Oh, I have got a little bit of tension. Or accepting that my mind might be yapping away, not necessarily fighting against it, but relaxing into it and saying, It's absolutely normal to think like this.

I think it's then easier for your motions to take over more than anything because you've got to trust the tennis in you, the motions in you, years and years of playing that I'm all of a sudden not going to forget how to serve. I have been doing it, I don't even know how long, so I think it's more just having that trust in the repetitions that you've had over the years.

Johanna Konta 23-01-17 - Australian Open Tennis Championships 2017 - Official Site by IBM
 
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#4 ·
Mind games played inadvertently or purposely in the lead-up to this QF match. Very exciting.
Both interviews have the effect of psyching the other player out, and somewhat uncharacteristic in their detail.
Serena, she of the I-play-my-game-my-way philosophy, usually does not reveal the extent of her pre-match preparation for a specific opponent. And Jo usually prefers blank short mantras reminiscent of self-help books without going into the exact psychology.


Serena: I got my eye on ya, Jo Konta, I been watching vids of you, I know you and your game inside out.

Jo: I'm ready for your readiness and unfazed by whatever. My entire life has been a preparation for this moment so I'm zen af.
 
#6 ·
Amazing interview from Jo. Even though she said she didn't want to get too personal, she gave quite a lot to the interviewers and us reading. Definitely appreciate it.
 
#7 ·
Sounds very at peace and etc. Nice to hear.
Would be funny if she had a meltdown though :X
 
#8 ·
I don't get the thread title? I mean all her interviews are mature, what is so different now? :lol:

I really like her great insight to herself and ability to analyze what's happening around her and still being down to earth. Truly one of the most intelligent players on tour, but one has to keep on mind she is one of the few native speakers from the top players also and that helps her, too.

I'm really interested - has some of the players on tour tried out Konta's positive experience - working with a sports psychologist? It's been almost 2 years now that she's on the rise, they should be seeing it.
 
#9 ·
I think it's more a bit of possibly fear of being able to replicate the position you're in more than anything, but then I think that's where you have also got to have a good perspective on things, and you've got to keep, I guess, the simple things in mind of what's important to you. Are you healthy? Is your family healthy? Do you have people around you that you love? Do you have people around you that love you?
This is so true, and her perspective on it is excellent. Explains why she is so mentally tough when the tour on the whole is very weak in this department.
 
#14 ·
Jo-Ko is love. Great interview. She deserves a brilliant career.:inlove:
 
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#16 ·
+1

Interviewers who ask better questions get better answers!!!
 
#19 ·
She seems like a very intelligent woman. I remember when she won the Granby challenger only 1,5 years ago (ironically against fellow R16er Brady), she said: ''I really enjoyed my time here, thanks everyone. I wish I would be able to tell you I'll be back next year, but I'm hoping I'll be able to move my career to the next level''. She then won Vancouver, did well at the Us Open and now is one of the top players. Incredible.
 
#22 ·
yes it's players forum stuff but then I would have likely missed it. A good read I thought, thanks.
 
#27 ·
this is true. I can't stand her game but Konta seems to be a good person.
If she's staying at top 10 (I hope not but I can't do anything about it) I have to look from another perspective, not just on court stuff, otherwise, I will eventually follow tennis much less than I want.
 
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#25 ·
If this girl already has haters, that means she's so damn relevant and interesting :oh:

Seethe.
 
#28 ·
Johanna is AMAZING. Thoughtful, articulate, intelligent. And she's a talented tennis player.
Thanks for sharing.
 
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