Johanna Konta’s serve is hot stuff as she sees off Aussie rival to reach second round

The heat is on: Johanna Konta celebrates during her opening-round win over Ajla Tomljanovic
EPA
Paul Newman15 January 2019

When the heat is on, expect Johanna Konta to prosper. The 27-year-old Briton, who was born and raised in Sydney, performs better than most when the mercury rises and proved the point again here today when she beat Ajla Tomljanovic 7-6, 2-6, 7-6 in the first round of the Australian Open.

Although Melburnians have not been suffering as much as some of their countrymen — the temperature reached 48.9C in Port Augusta today — at 36C it was still hot enough for one forecaster to warn that the weather could be “dangerous for outdoor activities”.

Konta and Tomljanovic were on court for two hours and 51 minutes, but neither woman showed any signs of wilting. Konta served particularly well and finished off the first-to-10-points deciding tie-break in decisive fashion, recovering from 2-4 down to win it 10-7, completing the task with a thumping cross-court forehand.

Unlike fellow Briton Katie Boulter 24 hours earlier, Konta remembered that final-set tie-breaks here this year are in the longer format.

“I was very conscious to not get excited if I got to seven,” Konta said. “I saw Katie yesterday and thought, ‘That would be me. If you get to seven, you haven’t won, just keep going’. I was conscious of that.”

Konta was pleased to have reversed the result of her previous meeting with Aussie Tomljanovic in Brisbane a fortnight earlier.

“Last time we played I didn’t adapt and adjust quickly enough,” Konta said. “It took me too long to do things on my terms. She did play exceptionally well, maybe better than in this match, but I played better today.

“I was very clear when I went out there that I wanted to have more of a say in the match, accepting that she was going to play some very good tennis. I was happy that I served a lot better than when we played last time. The way I served helped me a lot.”

The win was only Konta’s third at a Grand Slam since she reached the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2017. It was also her first at a Grand Slam tournament since she parted company with coach Michael Joyce and replaced him with Dimitri Zavialoff, who used to work with Stan Wawrinka.

Although the temperature will drop a little in the next two days, it is still predicted to be 32C on Thursday, when Konta plays Garbine Muguruza in the second round. Both players might recall their most recent meeting four years ago in stifling heat and humidity at the US Open, when Konta won after three hours and 23 minutes in the tournament’s longest women’s match for 45 years.

“I grew up in this heat,” Konta said. “I have kind of relaxed into it and thought, ‘You know what, it is not going to get any better... you might as well crack on’. I think I save my energy in trying to survive instead of complaining about something that I can’t control.”

In Pictures | Australian Open Tennis 2019

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Former Wimbledon and French Open champion Muguruza has won only one comparatively minor title in the last year and a half. As a consequence, she has dropped to No18 in the world rankings.

However, Konta insisted: “If I have learned anything over the number of years I have been on tour it’s that anybody can play at the very highest level on any given day.

“She is a heck of a player. I don’t think you can go on court underestimating anyone — and especially not someone like her.

“She’s got two Grand Slam titles to her name, she plays big tennis, she competes very well. It will be a big challenge for me.”

Next up: Konat will face Muguruza in the second round
AFP/Getty Images

Konta joins two other Britons — Boulter and Dan Evans — in the second round of singles. Evans will face Roger Federer tomorrow in the third match of the day in Rod Laver Arena (starting no earlier than 3am tonight London time). They met at the same stage at Wimbledon three years ago, when Federer won in straight sets.

Boulter should be on court at about the same time in the Melbourne Arena, where Andy Murray played yesterday. The British No2 faces a tough task against the world No11, Aryna Sabalenka, a hard-hitting 20-year-old from Belarus, who is seen by many as a dark horse for the title here.

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