BRIT BLITZ
As four join Andy in round two, it’s Great Britain’s best start to an Australian Open for 30 years
In keeping with many tennis players, those who led the opening British charge at the Australian Open are a cosmopolitan bunch.
Jo Konta is the Australian-born daughter of Hungarian parents who has long lived in Eastbourne. She is into the second round accompanied by Heather Watson, whose mother is from Papua new Guinea but was raised in Guernsey and has long been based in Florida.
They made it through with three men: a Scot (Andy Murray), a Brummie (Dan Evans) and yesterday’s third winner, the Johannesburg-born Kyle Edmund, who came over to Yorkshire as an infant. They made it Britain’s best first round in the Australian Open singles since 1987.
naomi Broady, the solitary and gallant GB loser of day two, fell to Daria Gavrilova, a naturalised Australian who played for Russia until two years ago.
Konta’s next opponent is another from the sport’s varied family of nations, highly rated teenager naomi Osaka, reckoned to be one of the hottest prospects in the game.
Osaka was born in and represents Japan, the country of her mother. Her father is from Haiti but she was brought up in new York from the age of three.
She represents Japan but does not speak much of the language. However, such are the commercial opportunities there — helped by the huge popularity of men’s star Kei nishikori — that she is working hard at it and will not be playing under the Stars and Stripes any time soon. She recently signed with nishikori’s management agency.
It is probably no coincidence so many fine tennis players around the world are the children of immigrants, with so much drive and hard work often being required on the part of parents to produce a star. It is a longestablished pattern in professional tennis.
nineteen-year-old Osaka’s natural power means that she looks destined to be one of those stars.
She will be a threat to Konta’s slim but authentic hopes of winning a first Grand Slam.
Konta, experiencing the pressure of being talked about as a contender for the first time, had a highly satisfactory opening win against the experienced Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium, coming through 7-5, 6-2.
‘I think it’s really awesome how she rose so high and quickly,’ said fast-rising world no 48 Osaka of her forthcoming opponent.
Osaka is known on the tour as a slightly zany character, and barely moves her lips when she speaks in her American drawl, almost as if she is a ventriloquist.
These days Konta is expected to win such matches and she never looked like losing her opener against Flipkens, despite some early anxiety.
Less was expected of Watson, who upset the albeit out-of-form Australian no 1 Sam Stosur 6-3, 3-6, 6-0.
The no 18 seed had lost her last eight matches, but then the 24- year- old Channel Islander had won only one tour-level contest since the Olympics as well.
The deciding set’s scoreline looks like a romp, but it took 48 minutes and contained several see-sawing games.
Watson played as well as she has since winning the WTA title in Monterrey, Mexico nearly a year ago.
She now faces American qualifier and world no 116 Jennifer Brady, a generous draw.
Watson’s ranking has slid to 81 as a result of a slump caused by a lack of motivation. Outgoing Lawn Tennis Association head of performance Peter Keen is said to have had a blunt discussion with her about commitment before he departed in the autumn.
After beating Stosur, her biggest win by ranking since downing Sara Errani at the Italian Open last May, Watson admitted that she had struggled with the demands of the tour in the second half of the year. ‘I think everybody goes through it, some more than others,’ she said. ‘The top players know how to deal with it the best and they’re very consistent in everything they do.
‘I think that’s something I need to work on, to try to stay motivated the whole year and not just for certain tournaments, and making sure I manage my schedule better.
‘The Olympics was a big part of it. I talked about it a lot, was really looking forward to it, wanted to make it. Then I got there and once it was done I was like, “I just want to go home”. I was dead.
‘I had a great start to the year last year and after Wimbledon there was pretty much a zero. I had some time off and a good off season and that’s recharged me and I’m feeling really motivated and that showed in my match today.’
She said that she finds the rise of Konta inspiring, explaining: ‘She does everything right, everything like you’re supposed to do.
‘If you want to put it down the line, she puts it there. It’s great to see, she works really hard and I think she’s definitely going to have another great year. It’s good for all of us and pushes us all along.’
Stockport’s late blooming Broady was the third British woman on Margaret Court Arena and made life very awkward for Australian 22nd seed Gavrilova.
In the face of more partisan support than Stosur had, she came close to making it six Brits through but fell 3-6, 6-4, 7-5, despite sending down 19 aces. Coverage is live on Eurosport and BBC 5 Live Sports Extra from midnight