KONTA CAN’T WIN
Shriver: Jo won’t take SW19 heat
PAM SHRIVER has written off Jo Konta’s chances at Wimbledon, and believes the world No 7 is not ready to deal with the stress of home expectation.
Konta is the country’s highest ranked player for three decades, and the heat is on the sixth seed to be the first British winner of the women’s singles since Virginia Wade in 1977.
But 22-time doubles Grand Slam champion Shriver said: ‘ I don’t think she’s ready. I don’t know that she’d be in my 10 to 15 possibilities to win. With the pressure of a home WIMBLEDON COUNTDOWN Grand Slam I wouldn’t put her in that list. I don’t think her current form is strong enough.’
Shriver feels Australian- born Konta may not yet possess the mental tools to deal with the pressures of being a British player at Wimbledon.
‘I think Konta can look to the way someone like Andy Murray has handled the stress, the way Tim Henman handled it,’ added the American, speaking on behalf of ESPN. ‘Does the fact she wasn’t born in England take a little bit of pressure off? Perhaps. She plays a tense game anyway, wherever she plays she’s on edge. I don’t think she’ll have a great Wimbledon.’
In her build-up to The Championships, 26-year-old Konta made light work of Sorana Cirstea in the Aegon International as the pair met for the first time since April’s acrimonious Fed Cup clash in Romania.
Konta faces Jelena Ostapenko in the third round after a 6-2, 6-2 win.
‘Playing here is pretty special for me. I feel at home,’ said Konta, whose parents live close by. And Novak Djokovic — seeded second at Wimbledon — is also relishing his time in Eastbourne.
‘It’s a wonderful little town. I’ve been to Beachy Head. It does wonders. Hopefully it works for me this week,’ he said.
The Serb eased past Canadian Vasek Pospisil 6-4, 6-3 on Centre Court, his first win on grass since he beat Adrian Mannarino at the All England Club a year ago today.
He will face American Donald Young in the quarter-finals today.
‘For a change it’s good to not be one of the top favourites,’ Djokovic explained. ‘It is liberating. It releases a bit of the pressure.
‘That doesn’t mean that I don’t want to win the trophies. Of course I do. That’s why I’m playing professional tennis. But it’s just that I need to take things a bit slower.’