In the land of her birth, Johanna Konta’s voyage of self-discovery reaches another level on Saturday when she plays the former world No1 Caroline Wozniacki in the third round of the Australian Open.
Konta’s Hungarian parents settled for a while in Sydney before moving to Bournemouth when she was 13 but she knows Melbourne well enough, having played and practised here as a junior before finishing her tennis education in Britain and Spain.
All week, she has worn the look of a happy tourist playing a bit of tennis, albeit of the highest level and demanding maximum concentration and effort. Now she will need all of the weapons that have lifted her into contention for a major if she is to get past an opponent whose stamina and defence are familiar to everyone on the Tour. Wozniacki looked impressive dismissing Donna Vekic for the loss of only four games on Thursday.
Konta did not reach No9 in the world by accident, however. Hardly anything she does on court or says off it is left to chance. She talks and thinks the way she plays, with deliberation. Asked to break down her method of self-containment, which she honed under her late life coach Juan Coto for several years, and calls “The Process”, she says she struggles to match Wozniacki and others for full commitment to tools such as social media, preferring to be careful about what she reveals.
“I’m just not very good at that,” she says. “I’m trying to improve, because it’s also a great platform to promote the sport we play, and also my interests and for the fans and the people who take the time to follow my career, all our careers – to let them know how I am a bit.
“I’m getting better. I’m trying. But [Twitter] also has a dark side. Some people have a bit too much time on their hands. It’s also about filtering those things out. And if it ever becomes something that’s not appropriate you take the right course of action. But, until then, it’s ignoring it for me, more than anything.”
Wozniacki once posted a photo of her then boyfriend Rory McIlroy snoozing. Would Konta ever copy the Dane and share such moments? “I guess I haven’t been in the situations and under such a spotlight as she has,” she says. “The kind of things she’s been involved with are quite super high-profile, so it’s a bit different. Who knows? Never say never … but we’ll see.”
We probably will not because the deep-rooted strength of her development as a player has come from her disciplined control, almost to the point of a phobia about saying the wrong thing.
After defeating Naomi Osaka 6-4, 6-2 on Thursday to reach the third round, she was amused to learn the Japanese teenager reckoned she could not talk to her “because she uses such big words”. This induced a giggle from Konta: “I need to chat more with Naomi. That’s a very nice compliment.”
She did lend a philosophical bent to the discussion when she said her varied background was a plus but one shared by an increasing number of players. “I do believe tennis makes the world quite small. Because we travel all around it, and we come in contact with so many different cultures, different countries, different people, it’s inevitable we will be a little bit from a lot of places. I count myself very fortunate. I speak two languages, fluently, and know a third [Spanish]. I really can call so many different places home.”
As for fame Konta remains unconvinced. “No, no, no, no, no,” she insists when it is put to her that she falls into the celebrity category now. “I’d like to be recognised and known for what I contribute to the sport, for my achievements within the sport. Outside of that I think fame will come with time, depending on how my interests develop.
“I love playing tennis and I love competing. The fact it’s on such a global stage and gets so much attention, it’s almost funny because being famous is unexpected. It’s not like I am doing something I don’t want to do.
“It’s not something I get caught up on. Like, when I go back to the flat and turn on the TV and I am watching tennis, it’s enjoyable. So I am guessing that’s what people do, when they turn on the TV: they’re enjoying watching a match. It’s kind of nice. Ultimately, I am an entertainer. All of us are entertainers and we are out there to put on a good performance, a good show for the people who come to watch us. I think it’s our responsibility to also entertain them.”
So, who among the players she knows would she regard as being famous. Pausing and smiling, Konta says: “Sir Andy Murray.”
