WIMBLEDON: World No.18 Johanna Konta engaged in a heated conversation with a journalist after being criticized for her performance at the Wimbledon Championships.
The British No.1 crashed out in straight sets to Barbora Strycova, who has reached the last four of a major for the first time in her career at the age of 33. Making it the second consecutive grand slam where she has defeated a top 10 player before losing to unseeded opposition. On the other hand, this year is her second-best performance ever achieved at Wimbledon after reaching the semi-finals back in 2017.
“I went out there, I did my best. My best today just wasn’t good enough.” Said Konta.
“But every decision that I made, every thought process, every opportunity that I gave myself, everything, I have no regrets in doing. I did the best that I could.”
Whilst drawing positives from her performance, it didn’t stop the 28-year-old from being placed under the spotlight by the media. Questioned by one reporter, they said to the Brit there was ‘key moments of the match where she could have done better.’ Paving way for a showdown between the two.
“Is that in your professional tennis opinion?” She said.
Replying, the journalist said he was just ‘watching as everybody else was on Center Court.’ Reading out a series of statistics such as her 33 unforced errors before drawing in on certain moments of the match. Saying the data they used in the question was from IBM. The official data company used at Wimbledon.
“I don’t think you need to pick on me in a harsh way. I mean, I think I’m very open with you guys (the media). I say how I feel out there. If you don’t want to accept that answer or you don’t agree with it, that’s fine.” She said.
“I still believe in the tennis that I play. I still believe in the way I competed. I don’t have much else to say to your question.”
Although, the conversation between the two didn’t end there. With the journalist going on to said he was asking Konta the question because she is ‘somebody who presumably wants to go on.’ Triggering an angry response.
“In the way, you’re asking your question, you’re being quite disrespectful and you’re patronizing me. I’m a professional competitor who did her best today, and that’s all there is to that.” The former top 10 player snapped back.
Konta heads into the US Open Series with a win-loss of 33-13 so far this year.
Transcript in full
Q. Looking at numbers, 33 unforced errors, then you had a smash at the net which you hit straight to her, then towards the end of the third set you had a double-fault, then missed a drive volley. Do you not have to look at yourself a little bit about how you cope with these big points? It’s all very well saying it’s a lot to do with your opponent, but there were key points when you perhaps could have done better.
JOHANNA KONTA: Is that in your professional tennis opinion?
Q. No, that’s just as a watching spectator with everyone else on Centre Court willing you on. And the numbers are IBM’s.
JOHANNA KONTA: Okay. I mean, I don’t think you need to pick on me in a harsh way. I mean, I think I’m very open with you guys. I say how I feel out there. If you don’t want to accept that answer or you don’t agree with it, that’s fine.
I still believe in the tennis that I play. I still believe in the way I competed. Yeah, I don’t have much else to say to your question.
Q. I’m just asking you as somebody who presumably wants to go on from here, learn from this, win a Grand Slam one day. Is it not something —
JOHANNA KONTA: Please don’t patronize me.
Q. I’m not patronizing you.
JOHANNA KONTA: No, no, you are. In the way you’re asking your question, you’re being quite disrespectful and you’re patronizing me. I’m a professional competitor who did her best today, and that’s all there is to that.
THE MODERATOR: Let’s move on to the next question.
