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KONTA STRYCOVA
OUT FOR THE KONTA JOHANNA KONTA angrily denied losing her nerve as the Wimbledon dream died. Konta led Czech BarboraStrycova 4-1 in their Wimbledon quarter-final but lost that first set in a tiebreak then fell apart in the second. As in the French Open semifinal, the British No.1 was found wanting when the favourite’s tag was on her. Konta admitted she did not play her best but snapped back at the suggestion she fluffed her lines in the biggest moments. She said: “I don’t think you need to pick on me in a harsh way. “I think I’m very open with you guys. I say how I feel out there. “If you don’t want to accept that answer or you don’t agree with it, then that’s fine. I still believe in the tennis I play and I still believe in the way I competed.
“You are being disrespectful and you’re patronising me.
“I’m a professional competitor who did her best today – and that’s all there is to that.”
A final tally of 33 unforced errors rather told its own sad story for Konta. She said: “I think she was playing very well. I couldn’t find the level I needed to make it difficult for the kind of player that she is.
“My best today just wasn’t good enough but every decision that I made, every thought process, every opportunity that I gave myself, everything, I have no regrets in doing.
“Also my opponent equally earned her right to be in the quarter-finals.
“I don’t have any more of a right to win these matches than my opponents.
“It’s unfortunate that it has worked out like that in terms of how it looks on paper with the rankings but I think I’ve played a great tournament.” JO KONTA says death threats on social media are simply a fact of life for female sports stars.
She said: “I have had loads of people wanting me to die. I don’t think that’s new to anyone.”