Jo Konta hopes she has rediscovered recipe for Wimbledon success after first-round win over Natalia Vikhlyantseva
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Jo Konta was back on safer ground at Wimbledon on Tuesday as she won on grass and wittered on about cooking.
British No.1 Konta called her half-baked past year a “learning curve”, after going from reaching semi-finals here at SW19 to now battling to stay in the world’s top 50.
She has lost TEN opening matches at events while changing coach again – and even blamed the media for mentioning her rubbish record on clay when she lost in the first round on the red dirt in Paris.
But back on the green grass of home, the former world No.4 made a Pavlova before beating a Russian in straight sets – even if she added the unwanted ingredient of needing six match points in a mess of a tiebreak.
Yet winning still tasted good.
(Image: Reuters)
“It was a great match for me to battle through and fight through until literally the very last point,” she said.
The highlight of Konta’s clay-court season was getting asked by Novak Djokovic in Rome to cook gluten-free, dairy-free and taste-free food for him at Wimbledon.
“I will try,” she laughed.
“However, I’m really proud that I made a Pavlova for the first time a couple of days ago. It was the first time I ever made meringue.
“I actually cook a lot more than I bake. I marinated lamb two nights ago, made it last night. That was very good. I think I’m going to make a traybake this evening. You might see the big box coming in.”
(Image: Action Plus/Getty)
Whatever helps Konta to relax, she needs to do more of it.
After going a set and a break up against world No.103 Natalia Vikhlyantseva, the world No.24 lost three consecutive games in the second set and needed to save two sets point before forcing a tiebreak.
The British No.1 then blew five match points – including one with a double fault – before finally finishing the job with a forehand volley.
“Nerves are going to be there,” she said. “Nerves are there for everybody. I am definitely not special in that sense.”
With Andy Murray absent, Konta has the best record of any British player in this year's Wimbledon singles – and the biggest expectations.
(Image: Daily Mirror)
She next faces Dominika Cibulkova — the world No.33 who missed out on a seeding because Serena Williams was promoted. But the world No.24 now wants to go further than last year.
“I’m here as a 2018 Johanna Konta ,” she said. “I am working very hard to be here the whole two weeks.”
As for her last 12 months, she reasoned: “I think everything happens for a reason, so I’m really happy where I am in my career.
“I’m really happy with the challenges that I have because I think they will also help me post-tennis in how I deal with adversity, how I deal with my own struggles.
“I think it’s a massive learning curve which I’m really grateful for.”