Jo is just like Maria...she can win Slam NEW COACH JOYCE BACKING KONTA
MICHAEL JoyCE once coached Maria Sharapova to the Australian open title and, ten years on, he believes he can do the same for Jo Konta.
The 44-year-old Californian split from Sharapova in 2010 but believes Konta, world No9 and quarter-finalist a year ago, shares some of the Russian’s qualities.
‘I’ve no doubt that with her game she can win a Grand Slam,’ he said. ‘She has a lot of characteristics like Maria. They both want it really bad and aren’t going to cut any corners to get there. So when it comes to that, it’s pretty easy for me.’
Joyce — who had a career-high ranking of 64 and once made Wimbledon’s fourth round — was hired by Britain’s Konta (below) in November after it became clear he could no longer work with former world No1 Victoria Azarenka, who is locked in a child custody battle with her former partner.
Joyce recognises that British No1 Konta must learn to maintain the calmness that helped her reach the top ten after suffering from nerves earlier in her career. ‘When Maria was 16 or 17, she got flustered,’ Joyce said. ‘She hated the junk-ball players (the kind of opponent Konta sometimes struggles with). Maria might have been better at hiding everything. ‘Jo hides it pretty well too but that’s something she can work on. Half the battle is not showing your opponent things and not showing the way you feel. I have no doubt she will improve that.’
Soothing Konta’s temperament was partly dealt with by her last coach but one, Esteban Carril. He helped eradicate the panics she often had in the heat of battle.
‘I saw some of those meltdowns before I really knew her (Konta),’ said Joyce. ‘I knew Esteban just because I had played him a little bit and I remember telling him: “I don’t know exactly what you’ve done, but it’s pretty amazing to see a girl at her age be able to turn around her career like that”.’
But Joyce was critical about the state of the women’s game. ‘The top players aren’t as good as ten years ago,’ he said. That makes him believe Konta is among the contenders in Melbourne.
‘Absolutely,’ he said. ‘She has as good a chance as anybody.’