Oh no, Jo! Cranky Konta crashes out
AND EXITS THE WORLD’S TOP 40
Beware a spurned seed at wimbledon — she may be out to get you. Jo Konta was left counting the cost of wimbledon’s decision to omit Dominika Cibulkova from its top 32 when she was unceremoniously dumped out of the second round.
Konta would not otherwise have met someone like the former australian Open finalist as early, and the hit her ranking will take from this result will see her relegated to around No 45 in the world.
Scattered randomly in the draw to accommodate the postpregnancy return of Serena williams, the pocket rocket from Slovakia looked deeply stoked up to make her point, and did so by beating the British No 1 6-3, 6-4.
There will be no more seedings at Grand Slams or other significant tournaments for Konta, 27, until she repairs the damage of failing to defend the 780 points from making the semi-finals a year ago.
There is irony in that the man ultimately responsible for Cibulkova becoming the most dangerous ‘ floater’ in the draw was all england Club chairman Philip Brook, whose daughter happens to be Konta’s agent.
The 5ft 3in Cibulkova spoke of her dismay at the decision last week, and hinted after the match at the role it had played: ‘It wasn’t what I was thinking about before the match but yes, right now, I have won and proved I am a good player and able to beat Konta at home,’ she said.
She certainly appeared up for it. Not only was there an irritating yelp accompanying every hit, but Konta complained to the umpire about her habit of slapping her thigh in the gap between receiving first and second serves.
‘I have been doing that my whole career. This is the first time that anyone has ever complained about it,’ added Cibulkova. That it became distraction tells you a bit about where Konta’s mind was as she tried to avoid going the same way as so many prominent female contenders in the last four days.
whatever Cibulkova’s motivation — she played outstandingly well in hitting 19 clean winners — the result was not a total surprise.
Konta has not quite looked the same player since she lost to Venus williams in last year’s semi-final, in the same way that British No 2 Heather watson has not been the same since she so nearly beat Serena williams three years ago.
It was hard to take seriously her later insistence that she is playing better compared to last year: ‘I actually haven’t regressed,’ she said. ‘This year, I actually feel like I’m heading in the direction I want to be heading in. I think I’m improving. I think sooner or later those results will come. If they don’t, they don’t.’
The computer rarely lies, and last year she left Sw19 with her profile enhanced — she brought in wimbledon’s highest TV viewing figures — and as world No 4.
That she departs this time in the mid-forties tells of how things have gone in the meantime.
It will bring with it a degree of anonymity that may help as she heads towards North america, with the chances slim that she will be seeded for the US Open.
Konta will not lack for work ethic. She was probably right when pointing out that being lower ranked might not be of too much relevance: ‘I think this wimbledon is another demonstration of how seeding is not the be all and end all. The depth we have in the women’s game, how players can play very well in any certain match, I am not terribly worried of losing a number next to my name.’
She was unfortunate to come up against someone so on top of her game, who played this brand of largely one- dimensional Space
Invader tennis better than she did on the day.
It is often said that Konta needs to have more variation in her game, but she is hardly alone in that on the women’s tour.
Cibulkova, who makes up for a lack of inches with the size of her heart, only got visibly nervous when trying to serve out the first set. Konta had one break point to get back level at 3-3 in the second, but she never made it close enough to rouse the crowd in the way she achieved a year ago.
There was also defeat for another high-profile player yesterday, with eugenie Bouchard losing the battle of former junior wimbledon champions in straight sets to australian ashleigh Barty.
Four years to the day since she lost the final to Petra Kvitova, the Canadian — who came through qualifying — was beaten 6-4, 7-5 in an hour and a half on Court 3.
‘I’m here to stay, like it or not,’ said Bouchard, who is currently ranked No 188 after a fall from grace. ‘It’s definitely not nearly the end of my career, which some people think it is.
‘It’s tough seeing a really low number next to your name but I try not to focus on that. Deep down, I know my level.’
Bouchard was cramped in one of the all england Club’s smaller press conference rooms with 18 reporters. The 24-year-old is still a significant story in tennis.
‘ It’s a wild ride,’ she added. ‘enjoy those big moments because no matter what, no one can take them away from you.’
Barty, the 17th seed, will face russian 14th seed Daria Kasatkina in round three.