‘Konta can challenge for majors this summer - especially with Serena out’

Andy Murray has backed Johanna Konta to challenge for grand slam titles this summer.

The British women’s No 1 climbed to seventh in the world rankings on the back of the biggest tournament victory of her career at the Miami Open a month ago. Only Karolina Pliskova and Caroline Wozniacki have collected more points this year so far and, with Serena Williams on maternity leave, the women’s field has arguably never been more open.

Murray said: “Right now the women’s game is very open, with Serena being out for the foreseeable future, which makes it very exciting for a lot of the top women. No one’s sure who’s going to step up in her absence and Jo obviously has a chance. Clay maybe isn’t her favourite surface but on hard courts and grass there’s no reason why she can’t be right up there competing for the biggest tournaments.”

On the men’s side, Kyle Edmund and Dan Evans have continued to rise in the rankings and Edmund showed his potential again in the Montecarlo Masters when he took a set off ten-time champion Rafael Nadal.

Murray said: “Both of them have done great.

“Dan personally for me is more unexpected that Kyle. He’s always had the ability and it’s great he’s now showing that at the highest level and on a consistent basis.

“Kyle’s improving all the time as well. I spoke to Rafa about him after he played him in Monte Carlo and he said he should easily be top 20 if he keeps working hard.

“Also Aljaz Bedene has been playing very well, too, so there’s a lot of positive things happening on the men’s side.” Ilie Nastase has blasted the All England Club for announcing it will block his customary invitation to the Royal Box at Wimbledon this year following his behaviour at last month’s Fed Cup tie against Great Britain.

Romania team captain Nastase, 70, was ejected from the match in Constanta following a foulmouthed tirade directed at his British counterpart Anne Keothavong and British No 1 Johanna Konta.

It was one of a series of incidents for which he is now awaiting sanction by the International Tennis Federation.

All England Club chairman Philip Brook condemned Nastase’s actions at the Wimbledon spring press conference yesterday, adding: “He is not going to receive an invitation this year.”

Nastase responded quickly, accusing the All England Club of being “small-minded” and of treating Romanians like “morons”.

In an interview with the Romanian website Prosport, he also accused Wimbledon officials of having short memories, after he was one of only four seeded men’s players to defy a boycott of the Championships by players’ body the ATP in 1973.

He said: “Look at it however you want – revenge maybe? I don’t care.” He added: “If I did something stupid at Wimbledon then I’d understand if I were then suspended. But in this case, I don’t get it.”

All England Club chief executive Richard Lewis said the tournament would uphold any ITF suspension and even stop Nastase attending the Championships as a member of the public.

The controversial Fed Cup weekend began when Nastase was overheard talking about Serena Williams’ unborn baby, saying: “Let’s see what colour it has. Chocolate with milk?”

He had already asked Keothavong for her hotel room number, and was later heard to call Keothavong and Konta “f ****** bitches” in a rant which led to his provisional suspension by the ITF.