Brit pack line up to rival Konta

THE most frantic two months of the season dawns and one of the intriguing sub-plots will be the progress of Britain’s burgeoning band of women. A double triumph at events below the main WTA Tour level this weekend sees eight British women inside the top 200 based on results in 2018. While Jo Konta was preparing to fly the flag at this week’s Italian Open — the main staging post to Roland Garros — Katie Boulter and Katie Swan were winners elsewhere. Boulter (right) yesterday beat Russia’s Ksenia Lykina 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 to win the ITF tournament at Fukuoka in Japan while Swan won the slightly smaller title at Monzon in Spain, beating Aliona Bolsova 6-2, 6-3. While Konta, Heather Watson and Naomi Broady are more established, it is encouraging that four of the eight — Swan, Boulter, Gabriella Taylor and Harriet Dart — are 21 or under. The other, Katy Dunne, is 23. This week’s prestigious event in Rome is the start of a period that takes in the French Open, three weeks of grass court events and then Wimbledon. The All England Club committee that decides precious wildcards should be in the unusual position of having quite a few home players, at least on the women’s side, pressing a reasonable case. It is of some comfort at a time when Andy Murray’s camp can still make only the vaguest noises about his prospects of appearing on the grass. If he does give it a try, then it does not look like he will be doing so at anywhere near full fitness. The latest word is he is keeping his options open and will make late decisions about appearing at Rosmalen in Holland, Queen’s and Wimbledon. Konta has a hefty number of ranking points to defend between now and the end of Wimbledon. When it comes to the ranking based on this season alone she is 39th, below her standards of the past two years. She may have caught a lucky break in Rome because her scheduled opponent, Petra Kvitova, has withdrawn after winning the Madrid Open on Saturday. Konta instead faces Magdalena Rybarikova, who is less of a threat on clay. In the final of the men’s event in Madrid yesterday, Alexander Zverev continued his fine form with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Dominic Thiem, who had shocked Rafa Nadal in the quarter-finals.