JO K.O
Year of decline but beaten Konta insists she’s improving
JOHANNA KONTA is out of Wimbledon – and seemingly in denial.
Konta remarkably claimed she is improving, despite continuing her decline during the last 12 months with a straight sets second-round exit against fired-up Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova.
The British No.1’s third early slam departure of the year is set to see Konta – who reached the SW19 semis last year and climbed to a careerhigh world No.4 – tumble out of the top 40.
But she said: “I actually haven’t regressed, I’m improving. This year, I feel like I’m heading in the direction I want to be. Sooner or later, those results will come.
“I’m clearer on the way I want to play. I’m clearer with the shot selection that I want to do. I’m getting fitter.
“I’m moving forward more, which is something that I’ve always wanted to do.”
A year ago, Konta was the nation’s darling and attracted huge Wimbledon crowds and TV audiences as she made British tennis history.
But yesterday the punters had other priorities, after watching Rafa Nadal, and Centre Court was just a third full at the start before finally filling up towards the end.
The 27-year-old was broken in the sixth game of an error-strewn first set.
Konta did save four match points in the second before Cibulkova held her serve to love to reach round three, thanks to a 6-3 6-4 victory.
In contrast to a misfiring and, at times, short-onconfidence Konta, the world No.33 was a woman on a mission after missing out on a seeding because Serena Williams had been promoted.
Cibulkova was so pumped up that her thigh-slapping – to psyche herself up between serves – was loud enough to get under Konta’s skin and spark a complaint to the umpire.
But Konta felt the full force of Cibulkova’s determination as she was blown away.
Rising British star Katie Boulter, 21, gave Naomi Osaka a more testing time after losing in just 46 minutes to the Japanese world No.18 in Birmingham last month.
Boulter broke serve three times before losing 6-3 6-4 in 78 minutes.