The local media still call Johanna Konta “the Sydney-born Brit”, but she has a game that is all her own, and it was way too solid for the world No70 Kirsten Flipkens over two sets on day two of the Australian Open.
If she does make inroads in the draw, she will have to beat some tasty opposition in the first week, but this was a valuable if imperfect warm-up to reach the second round.
“I knew going into the match I was going to have to stay patient,” she said courtside after grinding out a 7-5, 6-2 win that was notable for her persistence rather than the brilliance she show in winning the Sydney Open at the weekend.
“I love playing here. It’s a dream. I’m just trying to get better every day.”
It took 21 minutes for the newly installed world No9 to break down her opponent’s nagging baseline defence and tame her own early lack of rhythm, but she went ahead in the seventh game – always pivotal in tennis – and her confidence appeared to grow.
There is something undeniably Andy Murray-like about Konta’s patience but, after saving four break points when serving for the set in the 10th game, which lasted 10 minutes, she made a mess of a backhand lob and Flipkens was back on level terms.
Konta was not playing at the extraordinary level she reached against Eugenie Bouchard and Agnieszka Radwańska in Sydney last week and, although her sweeping forehands deep to the corners were putting the Belgian under consistent pressure, she struggled for consistency, misjudging several short shots at the net.
She broke for 6-5, 25 minutes after her first break, and served out without fuss.
“One of her qualities is her relentlessness,” observed former British No1 Sam Smith. “She is a gritty, tough competitor.”
The second set took on the same attritional look until Konta wore Flipkens down in the sixth game for a break that opened up the way to a hard-earned conclusion. She broke again after an hour and a half and served out, Flipkens making it easy for her in the end with a weary forehand that drifted long.
“It was incredibly tricky,” Konta said. “She has the kind of game that can make any player feel really uncomfortable out there, the way she’s able to use her slice and just her general creativity. She’s incredibly good at that.”
