The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Konta hails progress despite shock defeat
Seventh seed insists her clay court expectations are not results-orientated
Johanna Konta insisted she is happy with the progress she has made through the clay season despite crashing out of the French Open in the first round.
The seventh seed appeared to have a kind draw against world No 109 Hsieh Su-wei as she sought her first main-draw win at Roland Garros.
Konta raced through the first set but then got bogged down in a battle and became thoroughly frustrated as Hsieh ground out a 1-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 victory.
Konta is not nearly as at home on clay as on hard courts or grass, but this was still a very disappointing result.
The 26-year-old said: “My expectations are never results-orientated. Whether I’ve lost first round or third round or quarters, I do my best to not judge myself on that aspect.
“Obviously, I like to be involved in a tournament for as long as possible, and I would have liked to have been involved here longer.
“I do feel I’m a better player at the end of these last few weeks on the surface than I was at the beginning and that is the most I can ask of myself – to keep improving.
“I played a player who played incredibly well, who was inspired, and that’s also something that I’m also very happy to be a part of because it gave me another opportunity to learn about myself and see the things I can do better.”
In a first set that lasted just 24 minutes Konta dropped only four points on serve and hit eight winners, overpowering the slightly-built Hsieh.
But the 31-year-old from Chinese Taipei is a canny and unorthodox player, and her slices and drop shots began to take effect in the second set.
Hsieh missed a routine smash that would have given her a break for 4-3 and Konta looked poised to capitalise when she moved 0-40 ahead at 5-5.
But Hsieh saved three break points and then won seven straight points to clinch the tie-break and level the match.
Konta’s anguish became more and more evident in the deciding set with imploring looks towards her box.
She could not find the answers to turn the match back in her favour and, after saving four break points, Hsieh sealed the biggest win of her career.
Simona Halep got her title bid under way with a 6-26-3 win over J an aCep el ova.
The Romanian was installed as the favourite to lift the trophy after her excellent clay season but her participation at Roland Garros was thrown into major doubt by an ankle injury picked up in the final of the Italian Open.
Halep said: “I still feel a little pain, but it’s nothing dangerous, so I can play.”
Eugenie Bouchard also arrived in Paris nursing an ankle injury but saw off Risa Ozaki 2-6 6-3 6-2.
Fifth seed Elina Svitolina beat Yaroslava Shvedova 6-4 6-3 while there were also wins for Agnieszska Radwanska, Madison Keys and dark horse Anastasija Sevastova.