DOUBLE BRIT BOOSTER AS JO CAN GO FOR GLORY TOO
JOHANNA KONTA is ready to deal with the Wimbledon hype and fly the British women’s flag.
The 26-year-old followed Andy Murray by yesterday declaring herself fit, with her build-up also heavily disrupted by injury.
The British No.1 had fallen heavily at Eastbourne on Thursday and not only damaged her spine, but cracked her head on the grass so hard it left her seeing stars.
Sixth seed Konta returned to the court yesterday and gradually built up the session until it was a full-scale work-out.
She said: “I never thought I would not play, I just tried to focus on getting better and getting prepared.
“I’m definitely recovering well but am still taking it a day at a time. I practised and felt good, fit enough to play seven matches.
“I’m feeling much better and I still think I made the right decision to withdraw from the Eastbourne tournament. I just had to give my body time enough to recover. It was a bit of a traumatic fall.
“When I fell on my back, my head whipped back as well. I was very sore through my spine, although I didn’t have any concussion.”
Konta has never progressed beyond the second round in five attempts at Wimbledon and fallen in the first round four times.
Judge
She faces a tricky test against Taipei’s Su-Wei Hsieh today and will also have to deal with the weight of home expectation in a draw minus 23-times Grand Slam champion Serena Williams.
Konta added: “I judge myself on my own journeys and my expectations continue to be my own. But now there is more attention and more interest in my performances.”
Fellow Brit Heather Watson is also in action, bidding to rediscover her best form after dropping to 126th in the world rankings.
A fine run to the semi-finals at Eastbourne last week backed up the new optimism as she prepares to face Belgian Maryna Zanevska this afternoon.
Watson said: “I felt lost, I felt in limbo, but I have been feeling really good now for a couple of months.
“I want to get back up and climb the rankings again because I know I’m a good enough player, and I have been there for a long time. It’s just a little dip. I’ll be back.”
Former girls’ champion Laura Robson plays Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia in the first match on Court 18.
Of the other British hopes, Naomi Broady is third on Court 14 against Romanian Irina-Camelia Begu.