Ignore hype and win Wimbledon, Durie tells Konta
JO DURIE has told Jo Konta to block out the hype if she wants to become Britain’s first Wimbledon women’s singles champion in 40 years.
Durie is still the last British woman to reach the quarter-finals at the All England Club after she beat a 15-year-old Steffi Graf to get there in 1984.
Konta is hoping to match Durie’s run with a win over Caroline Garcia tomorrow and take one step closer to repeating Virginia Wade’s 1977 triumph.
Durie’s advice to bookies’ favourite Konta is to keep her feet on the ground. ‘I just hope Jo has ignored the papers and isn’t watching the television,’ Durie said. ‘Jo has a great team around her and she needs them at the moment.’
‘Anyone who gets to the quarter-final can win this women’s tournament so absolutely, Jo can win this.’
But first Konta must overcome Garcia, France’s world No 21 who was once tipped by Andy Murray to become the finest female player in the world.
Garcia was pushing Maria Sharapova close at the 2011 French Open when Murray tweeted: ‘The girl Sharapova is playing is going to be number one in the world one day caroline garcia, what a player u heard it here first.’
Garcia is yet to fulfil Murray’s lofty prediction but she is enjoying the best season of her career, having made the quarter-finals at Roland Garros in May.
The 23year-old also beat Konta 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 only four months ago on the hard courts of Indian Wells. Garcia’s highrisk, baseline game can be a threat to any player but Konta is expected to win.
‘Konta is a great player,’ Garcia said. ‘She has a great serve, great forehand and is a great mover. She is always wanting to put pressure on the opponent. It will be very difficult.’