Johanna Konta 'excited' for new season ahead of Brisbane International
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Updated 30/12/2017 at 13:05 GMT
Johanna Konta says she is excited to start the new tennis season after teaming up with her new coach, Michael Joyce, ahead of the Brisbane International.
Johanna Konta beats Domenika Cibulkova
Image credit: Getty Images
Speaking to The Independent about working with Joyce, Maria Sharapova’s former coach, Konta said: “This is our first tournament. I’m excited to start the season and to start working together and getting better.”
Konta is taking part in the Brisbane International which starts on Sunday.
The British number one enjoyed a sterling start to her 2017 season with a WTA title in Sydney ahead of the Australian Open, the latter which she exited in the quarter-finals thanks to Serena Williams – who went on to win.
She won another title at the Miami Open and became the first British woman to reach the Wimbledon singles semi-finals since 1978. However, her season began to unravel shortly thereafter.
After parting company with Belgian coach Wim Fissette, who she began training with in the pre-season, Konta announced a new partnership with Joyce in December.
Konta told The Independent: “I’m just trying to feed off his knowledge. I think he brings a bit from all the different coaches I have had previously.”
Konta, who is the fifth seed at Brisbane, will face USA’s Madison Keys in her opening match at Brisbane.
Having already practised with this year’s US Open runner-up, Keys, Konta said she felt confident about the match.
“I know she can play really well,” she said, “But I’m ready to go.”
“She’s a big player with big shots and a lot of the times she will make you feel like you are not having much say in what’s going on out there, but that’s the kind of player that she is. That’s what I have to deal with.”
The Brisbane Open starts on Sunday December 31, running until January 9.
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