Martina backs A-plus Konta as Briton tries to make a real impact
AS Jo Konta prepares to face the top Czech in the US Open fourth round, she was given top marks by the greatest player of all to come out of that country.
Martina Navratilova described the British No1’s display in beating Shuai Zhang on Friday as ‘A-plus’, marking her out as a danger to everyone else left in the draw.
Konta will now tackle No3 seed Karolina Pliskova, whose ownership of an outstanding serve has not stopped her labouring under the title of best player never to have won a Slam.
In her unobtrusive way Konta is again delivering at the majors, and Navratilova has been duly impressed, telling Amazon Prime: ‘It seems like she’s playing more on instinct now, she knows what she wants to do and doesn’t have to think about it. Because of that I think she’s cut out the unforced errors.’
One thing that is clear is that the philosophy of her quietly-spoken French coach Dimitri Zavialoff in asking her to be more self-reliant on court looks to be paying dividends.
‘I’m enjoying the whole thing a bit more,’ said Konta, comparing herself to two years ago when she was last playing at this level.
‘I think it’s because I’m more in tune and more invested, more aware of everything I’m doing. I’ve become more self-sufficient in the decisions I’m making, outside the court as well.’
So strongly has Konta revived her fortunes this season that she is the 11th best performer on tour in 2019 and in the chase to make the field for the eight-woman WTA Finals event at the end of the year. Her position for that would be strengthened if she could beat Pliskova, this summer’s Eastbourne champion who again disappointed at Wimbledon.
Pliskova only just edged past Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur to make today’s date. At 6ft 1in, her main strength is her serve, although her second delivery got a pasting in the previous round.
But on a normal day it may be the best after Serena Williams’ and Konta said: ‘I think Serena probably serves a bit faster, a bit bigger. Karolina is incredibly accurate. I don’t know if there is a massive difference.’.
RAFAEL NADAL moved ominously into the last 16 last night with a straightsets win over Chung Hyeon. The second seed made light work of the South Korean, winning 6-3, 6-4, 6-2, a win which took him a minute shy of two hours.
Britons Jamie Murray and Neal Skupski reached the third round of the men’s doubles with a 6-3, 6-4 victory against Lithuania’s Ricardas Berankis and Argentine Juan Ignacio Londero.