KONTA FACES MISSING WTA FINALS AGAIN

JO KONTA looks set to pay heavily for her dismal end to the season by missing out for a second straight time on a place in the prestigious year-end WTA Finals. A combination of her sudden loss of form and a surge from Caroline Garcia will likely see the French player pip Konta (below) for the final eighth position in the elite field for Singapore. Garcia yesterday won her 11th straight match in beating new world No1 Simona Halep 6-4, 7-6 to take the points-rich Beijing Open title. That now puts her well ahead of Konta, who has to reach the final of the Kremlin Cup in Moscow next week to have any chance of securing a spot that, until recently, looked achievable. With Andy Murray injured, the only Brit now likely to qualify for one of the seasonend events is his brother Jamie, who was runner-up at the Japan Open and, with Bruno Soares, ought to make November’s doubles event at the O2 Arena. Konta could have put herself out of sight had she not embarked on a five-match losing streak, while Garcia has won back-to-back titles in China. Now Konta’s only hope is a sudden reversal of fortune — and there is a faint glimmer in that Garcia has a stinker of a first-round draw in this week’s Tianjin Open against Maria Sharapova. Last night there was a suggestion Garcia might withdraw to concentrate on Moscow, where she would need a wildcard. It has still been a highly creditable year for Konta, headlined by her Miami Open title and reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals.