Konta stuns Muguruza in longest US Open women’s match

Eastbourne’s Jo Konta recorded the finest victory of her tennis career as she beat world No.9 Garbiñe Muguruza to advance to the third round of the US Open.

In round three she will face the German 18th seed, Andrea Petkovic and if she wins, Konta will be Britain’s No.1 player as she is now just 100 ranking points behind Heather Watson. It was the ninety-seventh ranked player who prevailed to pull off the upset ultimately with a scoreline of 7-6(4), 6-7(4), 6-2.

A month later, Konta would meet the young Spaniard, Garbine Muguruza, in qualifying in Luxembourg, take the first set, but finally lose out 7-5 in the third.

“She suffers when she gets into a winning position”.

Johanna Konta was born in Sydney, Australia, to Hungarian parents Gabor (hotelier) and Gabriella (dentist).

This is the second time that Konta has beaten Muguruza this year, but the context could hardly have been more different. “Trust me, they don’t give a crap how many matches I have won”, Konta said. But she would not be the first player to find that her results picked up as soon as she took responsibility for her own preparation and scheduling.

At three hours, 22 minutes, she played the longest women’s match in Open history. Now Muguruza changed it up, made a couple of volley winners, and broke back. “I’m very humbled about this experience and enjoying every second of it. I’m also ambitious and I’m by no means content”.

The second set tie-break, like the first, was largely decided by a controversial umpire’s call.

Konta became a British citizen in May 2012, and at the time was the GB number six. Each continued to press the other to stand at 4-4 as the clock hit two hours. It would be another tie-break.

The Spaniard started proceedings with an extremely solid service game, and followed it up by putting pressure on the Brit’s serve by creating a break point opportunity.

“It will be a challenge”, she said.

But Konta proved even more resilient to fight off two break points for 5-1. She wants to feed on the energy that crises bring but without being reckless.

She even managed a few words courtside, though needed to sit down for the exchange.

“He’s had a very calming influence and I think he has helped her when she has been in anxious moments”. “I’d like to think I do get a little wiser as time goes on”. “I’m just happy that I was able to come through”. “She probably didn’t bring her best tennis to the court but she’s still one of the best competitors out there, and that’s why she’s top 10”.

Given the circumstances this was by some margin Konta’s biggest win.

“I’m not that good with social media if I’m completely honest, I don’t know if I’ve ever taken a selfie in my life”. I don’t deserve it any more than they do. “I’m no Serena Williams”, said Konta.

“Right now I’m just in the third round and I’m playing against another incredibly tough player, Petkovic”, Konta told reporters. It is, in short, a winnable match if Konta can summon up the energy in two days’ time to do this all over again.

But after switching much of her training to Spain she has surged up the listings, and will be attempting to win her sixteenth straight match when she tackles the number eighteen seed from Germany.