JO THE WARRIOR FLYING HIGH
Fans roar for Konta as she toughs it out in a three-hour epic
BILLIE JEAN KING Take a bow, @JoKonta91 & @DonnaVekic. Was an absolute pleasure watching both of you leave it all on the court. Way to go for it! #Wimbledon
WITH a bellyful of flying ants, Jo Konta finally achieved lift- off on the green grass of home yesterday.
This was magnificent, an epic that not only launched her into Wimbledon’s third round for the first time but one that might just win over the natives as well.
The latter has always been something of a challenge, given she spent more than half her life in Australia, but after three hours and 10 minutes of stunning tennis she was roared off Centre Court. Not quite in the style of Andy Murray, but enough to constitute some kind of hearts-and-minds breakthrough.
And how she earned it. It was most likely the best match of these Championships so far, a knife-edge slugfest that went on for longer than the combined total of the first three matches on the same court on Tuesday.
For her part, Donna Vekic, the 21-year- old Croat, was superb, a player whose ranking will rise far beyond its current slot at 58. She held two set points at 5-3, 40-15 in the first set, which Konta ultimately took 7-4 on a tiebreak, and looked the more dangerous player in the deep end of the decider after winning the second.
But Konta is a warrior. Reserved in the press room, certainly, but a brute on the court, a player with all the shots and not a trace of inhibition. Even in the heat of the decider, when she was twice 0-30 down on serve, she was shooting from the hip, hitting Vekic to all corners until the younger woman broke down in tears in defeat.
As Vekic sobbed, Konta was screaming wildly into the air, two fists pumping. From there came a wave to the crowd and a quick mop of the brow to clear some of the insects that had swarmed in their thousands to the court.
‘There were so many,’ she said. ‘At one point there was a lot. I have definitely taken home a few both in my belly and in my bags. I’m pretty sure I swallowed a few.’
Swallowing defeat would have been harder for the world No 7, who had only once reached the second round here in five attempts. Those results and Konta’s failure to go beyond the first round at Roland Garros have been glaring holes in the record of a 26-year-old who is ranked among the elite.
But she is improving rapidly and that much was evident against Vekic, who beat her in the final in Nottingham just three weeks ago. That match was close and this one was even closer.
‘This was one of the most epic matches I have been a part of,’ said Konta. ‘Both of us deserved to win. I knew it was going to be decided at the very last minute. But however long it took, I wanted to be out there competing for every single minute of it.’
Some galleries have taken time to warm to her but Konta added: ‘I love playing in front of Brit crowds. It does make it that much more special when you get to play at home and have the home support. I feel very fortunate about that.
‘The atmosphere out there spoke for itself and how they kind of lived and died with the match as well.’
The levels of tennis were exceptional and the closeness of the occasion was demonstrated by Konta winning only three more points than her opponent during the match.
Vekic might feel more aggrieved having come so close to winning theth firstfi t set tb beforef breakingb ki ini theth first game of the second. Konta broke back for 2-2 but then quickly gave up her delivery again. The match seesawed through the decider until Vekic hit the top of the net on Konta’s second match point.
On such fine margins a classic can turn.
Next up is the world No 101 Maria Sakkari. She will need to bring more than flying ants to stop Konta if the Brit retains her form.