Konta and Murray lay down blueprint for future

In making history at the Australian Open, Johanna Konta penned her own glorious chapter in what is suddenly becoming a golden era for British tennis.
Johanna Konta of Britain makes a return to Zhang Shuai of China during their quarterfinal match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne.(AP Photo/Aaron Favila)Johanna Konta of Britain makes a return to Zhang Shuai of China during their quarterfinal match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne.(AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Johanna Konta of Britain makes a return to Zhang Shuai of China during their quarterfinal match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne.(AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

For so long we were the obliging hosts to the most prestigious tournament of all, Wimbledon, whose protagonists would politely exit proceedings early to allow the world’s best to do battle for the top honours on Centre Court.

Then along came Andy Murray, not so much a once-in-a-generation talent as a once-in-a-lifetime world-beater given Britain’s lack of pedigree in such a category.

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He reached grand slam semi-finals, then finals, then started to take home the big prizes.

Andy Murray of Britain gestures during his quarter-final match against David Ferrer(AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill)Andy Murray of Britain gestures during his quarter-final match against David Ferrer(AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill)
Andy Murray of Britain gestures during his quarter-final match against David Ferrer(AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill)

He even single-handedly won the Davis Cup for Great Britain last year, another historic acheivement. There was a team of players around him who won crucial matches at various stages of the tournament, but when it came to the crunch the equation is simple – no Andy Murray, no British glory.

For all of the Scot’s success, however – built upon when he defeated David Ferrer in four sets to reach a sixth Australian Open semi-final in seven years – there remained an enormous void in the women’s game.

Where was Britain’s female equivalent of Andy Murray?

In Konta – a 24-year-old born to Hungarian parents in Sydney who moved to Britain in 2005 but represented Australia until 2012 – the answer may have finally arrived.

Andy Murray of Britain gestures during his quarter-final match against David Ferrer(AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill)Andy Murray of Britain gestures during his quarter-final match against David Ferrer(AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill)
Andy Murray of Britain gestures during his quarter-final match against David Ferrer(AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill)
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By defeating China’s Shuai Zhang in straight sets to reach the last four at the Australian Open, Konta became the first woman since Jo Durie in 1983 to reach the semi-finals of a grand slam.

You have to go back a further six years to the last time Britain boasted a semi-finalist in both the men’s and women’s singles at a grand slam, after Sue Barker and John Lloyd achieved the feat at the Australian Open in 1977.

In celebrating Konta’s achievement – and who knows she may even be a finalist Thursday morning after playing Germany’s Angelique Kerber in the early hours our time – it would be pertinent to also ask why it has taken so long.

Why has a governing body, the Lawn Tennis Association, that has invested so much into the game repeatedly failed to produce players of the highest calibre?

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When the dust settles on Konta’s memorable Melbourne march, that has to be the question that occupies the minds of the game’s governing body.

How do we get more juniors playing tennis? How do we create a pathway that gets British tennis players to the very top, time and again, not just once a generation?

Murray over the last decade and Konta over the last few days have laid the foundations for the LTA to build on.

Konta was unwaveringly confident in dispatching Chinese qualifier Shuai Zhang 6-4 6-1 in Wednesday’s quarter-final.

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The British No 1, who last year went out in qualifying, said: “I’m incredibly humble and grateful for the position that I’m in.

“I understand how much this means to my family, to the people that have stuck by me through years and years and years of ups and downs.

“In terms of what it means to me, I’m just so happy that I’m enjoying what I’m doing. That is me living my dream.”

Two other British players are in unchartered territory.

Andy’s brother Jamie had already made it into today’s semi-finals of the men’s doubles alongside Brazilian Bruno Soares on Tuesday while in the wheelchair singles Britain’s Gordon Reid enjoyed a stunning victory against Japan’s Shingo Kunieda, the eight-time champion and top seed.

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By the time Murray outlasted old adversary Ferrer of Spain 6-3 6-7 (5/7) 6-2 6-3 to book his place in the last four, the Scot was for once not the only person left flying the flag for Britain.

“It’s really, really good for tennis on the back of the end of last year with the Davis Cup as well,” said Murray, who will face 13th seed Milos Raonic of Canada in the last four in the early hours of tomorrow morning.

“It’s extremely positive, we’ve now just got to try and capitalise on it.

“What’s happened with Jo (Konta) I think has come as a surprise to everyone. The rise she’s made over the last nine or 10 months has been fantastic.

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“It’s pretty good for us to have people competing in almost all of the competitions.

“Unfortunately Jamie lost in the mixed today, but Gordon had a great win as well today against the No 1 in the world who they told me has only lost like once here in the last 10 years.

“So, yeah, it’s been a good Australian Open so far. Hopefully we can keep it going.

“It also shows that anything is possible having the right people around you and the right attitude and the right work ethic.”

Raonic defeated Gael Monfils in four sets to seal his place in tomorrow’s semi-final.

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