MOMENT OF THE YEAR JOHANNA KONTA REACHES WIMBLEDON SEMI-FINALS

On July 11, Johanna Konta became the first British woman since Virginia Wade in 1978 to reach a Wimbledon semi-final. That afternoon, she faced Simona Halep in a rip-roaring encounter that drew 7.4 million British viewers to their TV sets – the biggest UK audience ever recorded for a women’s tennis match. Halep made an imposing opponent; had she won, she would have become the new world No1. But Konta had her measure in an enthralling battle that ran for 2hr 38min and ended in a curiously awkward manner. As Halep faced match point, she was distracted by a shout from the crowd – which she mistook for a linesman’s call – and pulled up halfway through the rally.

Perhaps exhausted by her deep run on Centre Court, Konta was defeated by Venus Williams in the semi-final, and then suffered an autumn recession that lingered until she called time on her season in mid-October. Her downturn was reflected in a disappointing performance at the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year show, where only speed skating’s Elise Christie polled fewer votes. So it is easy to forget that, between January and July, she performed at a level not seen from a British woman for nigh on 40 years. The challenge now is to rediscover her form from the start of the year, particularly when the Wimbledon fortnight looms large next summer. She has the talent to do so and will hope to repeat the heroics that lit up her year in 2017.