Jo can’t stand the heat at US Open

JOHANNA KONTA crashed out of the US Open at the first round for the second year running to complete a miserable Grand Slam year for Britain’s No1.

Konta lost 6-2, 6-2 to French sixth seed Caroline Garcia at Flushing Meadows so has failed to progress beyond the second round in any of this year’s four majors, following Heather Watson in an early exit.

Konta wilted against Garcia on a day when scorching temperatures took their toll in New York with tournament officials offering players the option of a 10-minute heat break.

The 27-year-old was one of the favourites to win last year’s US Open on the back of her Wimbledon semi-final appearance but was sent packing by Serb Aleksandra Krunic.

And history repeated itself as the former world No4 struggled from the outset and a double-fault handed Garcia two break points, which she took full advantage of.

Konta was then three break points down while serving to stay in the set and managed to save two but not a third.

The Brit was left with an uphill struggle when she was broken as Garcia took a 3-1 lead in the second set before Konta was broken again when serving to stay in the match.

Meanwhile, Andy Murray has been eating sushi to help him refuel for his US Open challenge.

Murray, 31, had three boxes of the Japanese dish after his first-round win against Australian James Duckworth on Monday and even had the raw fish for breakfast before his clash, plus a bowl of porridge.

He is leaving no stone unturned in his preparations for his first crack at a major after 14 months out of top-level action because of a hip injury.

Murray, who today faces Spain’s Fernando Verdasco, is trying to manage his body and is making changes to his preparations, which includes less time on the practice court between matches.

Murray said: “After a match, and around my media interviews, I refuel by eating three boxes of sushi. I had two of them before I spoke to the press and then I save one for afterwards. This time I chose spicy tuna sushi from the players’ restaurant at Flushing Meadows – it’s pretty good.

“It’s something I eat regularly and I actually had sushi at 8:30am on Monday – that was odd. I eat whatever’s recommended to me.”