Johanna Konta to take time over new coach search

Konta made the surprise decision in October to split from Wim Fissette after rising to world number four and reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals under the Belgian.

The British number one had also won WTA titles in Sydney and Miami this year but a collapse in form from the US Open onwards prompted a sudden change in her thinking.

Now ranked ninth in the world, the 26-year-old will be looking to regain her groove in Australia, the country of her birth and where she has enjoyed her best grand slam results.

The first major tournament of the year starts on January 15 but Konta says there is no rush to find Fissette's successor.

"We are actively looking for someone but I'm not in a rush to make a decision," Konta said. "I'm very open. I'm looking for a coach who will make a good match with me."

On her reasons for parting ways with Fissette, she remained tight-lipped: "Wim and I got along great and I really enjoyed my season with him. It was time for both of us to make a change and we parted in a very positive way."

Konta's dip in form meant she missed out on qualification for the eight-strong line-up at the WTA Finals in Singapore last month. She admits fatigue had been a factor.

"This was a season when I experienced a lot of things I hadn't done before," Konta said.

"It was my first season starting as a top-10 player and with that comes more responsibility and more strains on your time and that's an adaptation process for anyone."