Johanna Konta was understandably delighted after she hammered Sloane Stephens 6-1 6-4 to become the first British woman to reach the semi-finals of the French Open since Jo Durie in 1983.
“It’s definitely one of my best performances,” The British number one said in her press conference. “I played well behind my serve more than anything, and kept a good variety of shots in there, which I think made it difficult for Sloane to find her rhythm.”
Remarkably, Konta’s win today was her 15th on clay this season – which is eight more than she racked up in the past three seasons combined.
“I strongly believe the way my coach and I are working translates to all the surfaces,” the Brit said. “But clay, being a bit slower, automatically invites you to play the game a bit more.”
She continued, “It’s actually been a really great period for me to have now because it’s encouraging me to do much more of the things we are working on anyway.”
One of the most striking aspects of Konta’s play at the moment is her relentlessly attacking approach, which does not change no matter who she is playing against.
“I’ve always said that whenever I step onto court, I’m always going to have a chance,” the World No.26 said. “I don’t think any player on tour can go on court against me and feel like they’ve definitely got it. I definitely back myself and my ability that way.”
Konta very satisfied with life right now
Unsurprisingly Konta is very happy with the way she is playing at the moment. Her deep sense of contentment is obvious when she speaks.
“More than anything, I am just really pleased with how I am training and working every day on something that I enjoy and believe in,” the Brit said. “That’s probably the most satisfying feeling out of this whole thing right now.”
Konta also gives plenty of credit to her coach Dimitri Zavialoff for her upturn in results. The Frenchman has been working with the British No.1 since October last year.
“He’s been great in encouraging me and giving me the space to play the way I want,” the Brit said. “I’m enjoying the self-discovery process of being the player I want to be and trusting the decision I make out there. That makes what I do very self-satisfying because I feel a lot of ownership over it, which is a really nice place to be.”
When Konta was asked about the prospect of facing either Marketa Vondrousova or Petra Martic in the semi-final, she gave a confident answer.
“There are things that I do well that are effective against everyone,” she said. “I will have to find the right balance of when I can do that and when I need to add something else. Both of them are great players playing very good tennis. So whoever I play, I’m looking forward to it.”
