Stricken Konta limps to defeat
JOHaNNa KONTa suffered an injury scare as she crashed out of the aegon Nottingham Open to Zheng Saisai.
The British No1 limped through the final 40 minutes of her two-hour match with a pelvis injury, calling for the physio three times.
She struggled through the final set, constantly stretching between points, before eventually losing 6-4, 7-5 in the second round to the world No 86.
Konta was not too concerned by her injury post-match, however, with Wimbledon just 17 days away.
‘i picked up just a little niggle during the match but i felt it was something i could manage,’ she said.
‘So i finished the match and i will be looking to take care of it and be ready for the next one. My pelvis rotated out of position, so it was making muscles around it spasm up.
‘as of now it is a small niggle and i will be just looking to look after it and get myself aligned in the right way. i think it is just a management issue.’
Konta broke early in the first set but Zheng hit back to take it 6-4. The Brit did well to drag herself 4-2 ahead in the second, only to fall away as her limp worsened.
if her pelvis recovers well, Konta plans to play at Birmingham and Eastbourne before attempting to win her first ever singles match at the all England Club.
Meanwhile, Tara Moore reached her first ever WTa Tour quarter-final and is the last Brit standing. The 23-year-old, who is ranked 280 in the world, will face Zheng today after stunning eighth seed Christina McHale with a 6-2, 6-2 victory — just her third ever main tour win.
Moore said afterwards: ‘i’ve had a lot of ups and downs in my career but hopefully it’s all starting to come together.’