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Cape Town - Johanna Konta has slammed French Open organisers for their decision to move her semi-final match against Marketa Vondrousova at Roland Garros.
The British number one threw away a break advantage in both sets en-route to 7-5, 7-6 (7-2) defeat to the Czech teenager, but it was change in scheduling that seemed to really attract her ire.
Due to rain washing out Wednesday’s play, all four semi-finals were played on Friday, but the men were given Court Philippe Chatrier while the women were bumped onto the outside arenas.
“I think more than anything, what is tiring and what is really unfortunate in this more than anything is that women – athletes, female athletes – have to sit in different positions and have to justify their scheduling or their involvement in an event or their salary or their opportunities,” Konta said.
“And I think to give time to that is even more of a sad situation than what we found ourselves in today in terms of the scheduling.
“I don’t want to sit here and justify where I’m scheduled. That’s not my job. My job is to come here and entertain people, and I feel I did that. And I feel I gave people who paid tickets every opportunity to enjoy their French Open experience.
“And if the organisers do not feel that that is something that can be promoted and celebrated, then I think it’s the organisers you need to have a conversation with, not me, because I did my job and I did my job well.”
