Britain’s Johanna Konta Is Showing Promise

Written by: Staff on 29th August 2012

Britain’s Johanna Konta Is Showing Promise

epa03372938 Johanna Konta of Great Britain hits a return to Timea Babos of Hungary during their match on the second day of the 2012 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 28 August 2012. The US Open runs through Sunday 09 September 2012. EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO |

British women’s tennis continues to be upwardly mobile with new recruit Johanna Konta winning her way through to the second round of US Open after qualifying at New York’s Flushing Meadows.

Born in Sydney, Australia of Hungarian parents but a British resident since her early teens, 21 year-old Konta was finally granted citizenship in May. The tall right hander, currently placed 203 on the WTA world rankings is now certain to move inside the top 200 for the first time by virtue of her win 6-2,7-5 win over Timea Babos, the 59^th ranked Hungarian who she teamed up with to win a lower tier Mexican tournament in Irapuato last year.

“I’ve been dedicated and determined to become a Grand Slam tennis player since I was nine years old so qualifying for an event like the US Open and then win a round is what I have long dreamed about,” said Konta who now plays Olga Govortsova of Belarus.

“This really does mean a lot because it’s the first time I’ve earned a place in a major event as of right now. I was fortunate enough to be given a wild-card into Wimbledon this summer and loved that experience but this is something I’ve earned and I intend to make the most of the opportunity.”

Konta admitted the process to earn British citizenship was long and complicated. “There were so many questions being asked and it was something I very much wanted out of the way because I very much wanted GB next to my name,” she said. “To finally have it is a weight off my shoulders.”

She is grateful to the Lawn Tennis Association’s legal team headed by Steven Farrah as well as chief executive Roger Draper and women’s coach Iain Bates. “Everyone at the LTA very much backed the whole process and were very supportive throughout the whole journey,” said Konta.

Konta is currently coached by the Canadian Louis Cayer and Frenchman Julien Picot, with Millie Mirkovic, her resident physiotherapist. Plus she is very much in the plans of Fed Cup captain Judy Murray. “I very much hope I am in the next Fed Cup team,” said the player who could be the ready made replacement for long term British no.1 Elena Baltacha who is currently recovering from ankle surgery and has intimated she could soon retire from competitive tennis.

“Judy is great. I have known her for a number of years but I only really started talking to her during Wimbledon. Now she’s always sending me emails and congratulating me. It’s good.”

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: American tennis news, British tennis news, Johanna Konta, Sports, Tennis, US Open 2012