Big Interview: Johanna Konta’s rebuild got her back to the top

The British No.1 caught up with the Express & Star in Rome having just beaten Alison Riske in the first round of the Italian Open.

Less than two weeks removed from her first final of the year – at the Morocco Open – and life is good.

“I’m definitely enjoying my tennis – I’m playing at a better and better level throughout the season,” she declared. “I was happy with my performance – it was nice to play in another final.

“For me, it’s about staying healthy. I feel I’m getting better and I trust in that process, which bring me to success like that (reaching the final) and even bigger ones.

“I’m putting the work in to get these opportunities and I’m enjoying my tennis.”

Little does Konta know, the best is yet to come.

She beats Sloane Stephens and Venus Williams on the same day and proceeds all the way to another final, where she falls just short, losing to fourth seed Karolina Pliskova.

A few short weeks later and she is producing some of the best tennis of her career as she storms through to the semi-finals of the French Open, only to fall just short against Marketa Vondrousova, 7-5, 7-6.

No silverware again, maybe, but huge signs of progress after dropping to No.50 in the world following last year’s Wimbledon.

Konta had enjoyed a storming start to her grass court season last summer, reaching the Nottingham Open final, only to tail off as she won a combined two matches in Birmingham, Eastbourne and Wimbledon.

It was symptomatic of her season and far removed from 12 months earlier – the summer of 2017 – where she so nearly became the darling of British sport.

With Andy Murray’s hip so cruelly failing him in a quarter-final defeat to Sam Querrey, the British public had someone else to turn to for a change – thanks to Konta’s memorable run to the semi-finals.

She also produced the sort of drama typical of Brits on Centre Court – and that Murray and Tim Henman were well known for – as she battled through round after round at SW19.

Donna Vekic was seen off 10-8 in a second-round deciding set and Caroline Garcia in another three-set epic in the fourth round.

The best arrived though when second seed Simona Halep was overcome in the quarter-finals to set up the most-anticipated women’s match at Wimbledon since Virginia Wade lifted the Venus Rosewater Dish in 1977.

Another Venus – legendary five-time champion Williams – was too good that day, but a career-high ranking of world No.4 was at least some consolation. She wouldn’t get past the second round of a Grand Slam for another 23 months.

“Everything is progression. I learned a lot of great things last year,” said Konta, taking the positives from one of the toughest years of her career. “I look to grow with every opportunity and that includes the difficult ones. I’m enjoying the space I’m in and the team I’m with.

“There is only going to be one person who doesn’t lose (at each tournament), so you have to learn from everything. It can be quite difficult not to take your losses too hard. Everyone has to learn to deal with defeats and I know learning is how to deal with everything.”

And learn she has.

Not only did Konta get past the second round of a Grand Slam for the first time since Wimbledon 2017, she also secured her first wins on the clay courts of Roland Garros as she reached the last four of the French Open.

But after so much success on the red courts, the non-stop ever-demanding professional tennis circuit demands the colour scheme must change again.

The red of clay has been replaced by the green, green grass of home.

She skipped Nottingham this year after her exertions in Paris, so the Nature Valley Classic at Edgbaston Priory Club will hold even more importance for Konta this year.

And with such a small portion of the year now played on grass, she is looking forward to squeezing in as many matches as possible – with Eastbourne and, of course, Wimbledon still to come.

“I’m always keen to make the most of it and play all the tournaments – I’ve been at Birmingham every year for a number of years,” she said. “You try to play on the surface as much as possible. Birmingham always has an incredibly strong field – it speaks for itself with the names it attracts.”

Because of the big names Birmingham attracts, the draw hasn’t always been kind to the British No.1.

She ran into Petra Kvitova – twice a winner in Birmingham and at Wimbledon – last year and has also fallen to CoCo Vandeweghe and Karolina Plistova, among others.

In six attempts, Konta is yet to reach the quarter-finals. That has only fuelled her desire to stick around late into the week.

“I go into every tournament trying to go as far as I can – maybe this year I can stay longer,” she said. “I’m looking forward to coming back.”

Konta goes into the tournament as the seventh seed this year, but the field is arguably stronger than ever.

The top three players in the world – Naomi Osaka, Ashleigh Barty and Karolina Pliskova – are part of a Nature Valley Classic field that features half of the world’s top 10, as well as five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams.

Away from the court, being back on home soil also means Konta will get to enjoy some of life’s simple pleasures – ones that can easily be taken for granted by those who don’t spend 52 weeks of the year playing, training or flying between tournaments.

“I always look forward to the summertime at home,” she said. “I get back a bit throughout the year, but it takes me all over the world. I love what I do and it’s something you deal with happily.

“Now I have a dog, I try to spend as much time with him as possible.

“I enjoy going to the park with him and love to cook at home.”

On the grass courts of Birmingham, tennis fans will hope Konta can serve up a recipe for the first ever British success at Edgbaston.

Tickets are still available for the Nature Valley Classic, which runs until June 23.