Ood and exudes sense of calm
ds me a little of 1987 no rain and the grass ely fast. But that’s not r me, really – I’m not st.” And he isn’t worcompetition hotting urray can retain his Of course.” d: “He’s in the second with a chance, same ys. And by the end of here is no bad weather only seven and hopet the same four playncluded, have shared ANGELIQUE KERBER (GERMANY) V GARBINE MUGURUZA (SPAIN) the golden cup between them since 2002? It’s been a question much aired in the first week and Lendl had a go at answering it: “The top guys are the top guys because they do things a little bit better than the other guys. Can they be beaten? Of course they can but in the end most of the time the top guys do win because they are a little better than the others.
“Whether it’s problem-solving, whether it’s lack of matches for a while [Roger Federer missed the clay season to major on Wimbledon] or whether it’s dealing with JOHANNA KONTA (GB) V CAROLINE GARCIA (FRANCE) distractions off the court – these guys are used to it and do it. That’s part of the business.
“The top guys are better purely in stroke production, movement, physically. Put all that into a package and it’s slightly better than the guys below. Yes, they can get upset, but if they play 100 times they’re going to win more than half and that’s because the package is a little more complete.”
And with that super-coach and champion went off to swap notes and smash a few more plastic cylinders. 0 Andy Murray arrives for practic at Wimbledon yesterday. VENUS WILLIAMS (USA) V ANA KONJUH (CROATIA) As Wimbledon moves towards the business end of the competition, everyone is worried about Johanna Konta and her nerves: can she take the strain of being Britain’s best home hope of a female champion since Virginia Wade 40 years ago?
But no one has thought to ask after her coach, Wim Fissette. And he is getting nervous. He has coached the likes of Kim Clijsters and Victoria Azarenka, both former grand slam champions and world No 1s, so he certainly knows his stuff but it does not stop the nerve endings from jangling.
“I always feel pressure,” he admitted. “I’m very nervous because I have this mentality also because I want to win every match as a coach. Yeah, I’m nervous.”
Today, Konta faces Caroline Garcia for a place in the quarter-finals. She is playing well, she is coping with the hype and the hoopla and even though she will not admit it publicly, Fissette thinks his charge believes she can win the title.
“She will not express it but for sure she is confident in her game and she is confident about herself,” he said. “Yeah, I think [she thinks she can win].”
Keeping Konta on an even keel at Wimbledon is a 24-hour a day job. But Fissette does not want to go too far. In SW19, she has the crowd on her side. The further she goes in the draw, the more the spectators are getting to know her (she had only ever won one match at the All England Club before this year). Now he wants her to use that support rather than shut it out in case it becomes an added pressure.
“I think she can still do that more,” he said. “But for her it’s still difficult. It’s still new. I think she has to learn how to appreciate it more and use it more as a positive energy to her. I think she’s growing also in that way, of feeling the energy of the fans, because before she was just
0 Johanna Konta: feeling calm and ready tryingtobeinherself.buti’m100percent sure that using the fans in the right way can help you in difficult moments.”
Konta has played Garcia four times and won twice. But in Indian Wells this year, Konta lost to the Frenchwoman in three tortuous sets. After much discussion afterwards, Konta and her coach came to the conclusion that everyone is human and it was just a bad day. Coming into this match, Fissette is not concerned.
“You can do as many breathing exercises on court as you want, but days will come when it is just hard to control your emotions – that was a day like that,” he said.
“I see Caroline as a really, really talented player. There are a lot of positives, but also some less positive things. She has got a great game with some big strokes but also she does not always use her shots at the right moment and her decision-making, I don’t think, is that good.”
Manic Monday is upon us; Konta is calm and ready. Up in the players’ box, Fissette will be the nervy one, biting his fingernails.