Konta crushes Serena in San Jose opener

Johanna Konta won 12 straight games to oust an out-of-sorts Serena Williams from the first round of the Mubadala Silicone Valley Classic in San Jose, California.

Konta triumphed 6-1 6-0 in just 51 minutes in what is the heaviest loss of Williams’ 23-year pro career.

The Brit, who was inside the top 10 earlier this season before slumping to 48th, will face another American, Sofia Kenin, for a place in the quarterfinals.

Prior to Konta’s 6-1, 6-0 win over Serena in 1R @mubadalasvc, Serena’s most lopsided losses in tour-level main draw matches:

2014 WTA Finals (RR): l. Simona Halep, 6-0, 6-2.
1998 Oklahoma QF: Johnnette Kruger, 6-1, 6-1.

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) August 1, 2018

Williams walked straight in to face the media after the defeat.

“I think she played well in the second set and I think I wasn’t sharp at all in the first set, and I think she got confident and clearly ran away with it,” said the American.

“I really tried to be there, when I was out there it was fighting and that’s all anyone can say. I wasn’t just like giving it away and I was moving a lot better, so just trying to take the positives out of it.

“I’m just taking everything a day at a time. I think she played better in this match than she did 18 months (at Australian Open 2017) so I think that’s a good thing for her. I know I can play a zillion times better, so that kind of helps out too.

“I have so many things on my mind, I don’t have time to be shocked about a loss.”

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Judging by the first game, there was little to indicate the match would unfold in the manner it did.

Serena – the sixth seed, the higher-ranked player at No.26 and fresh off reaching the final at Wimbledon – held serve in a settling game to take an early lead.

But her delivery began to falter shortly thereafter; she dished up two double faults to drop serve in the third game, while Konta’s own solid serving helped her consolidate the break for a 3-1 lead.

Tactically, it was the perfect match from the Brit. She landed her returns deep, took the ball early, played with controlled aggression and spread the court effectively to set up her backhand down the line.

Soon it was 5-1, and after another double fault from Williams, Konta fired two straight forehand winners to take the opening set.

.@JohannaKonta is near-flawless in the first set!

She takes the opener against Williams, 6-1! #MubadalaSVC pic.twitter.com/JZ7g3MTIDh

— WTA (@WTA) August 1, 2018

Williams tried valiantly to work her way back into the match, upping both her groundstroke intensity and grunting volume in the first few games of the second set.

But errors prevented her from mounting a comeback. She finished the match with 25 compared to Konta’s nine, while the Brit led the winner count 17-9. Not once did Williams earn a break point.

There was to be no patented comeback this time from the 23-time Grand Slam winner, who looked increasingly despondent as the set wore on.

Konta was simply too focused, too sharp and too solid to unseat this time around.

“I really just tried to play the match on my terms and just try to do what I can out here, and try and almost put aside (the fact of) the incredible champion she is and just try to play the player on the day. I felt I did better than her on the day,” Konta said.

“It’s an absolute privilege for me to be on the same court as her. What she’s achieved in this sport, it’s so humbling to just come up against her. She obviously was not playing her best level, nowhere near.

“One of the things is the way she competes. So I had to stay very much on every single point because against her it could turn around at any point. I was very clear on what I was trying to do out there, really keep the focus on my side of the court.

“I’m just very happy to come through in the end.”

.@JohannaKonta stuns Serena Williams, 6-1, 6-0!

Takes 12 games in a row to move into @MubadalaSVC second round! pic.twitter.com/MtZY0Bkos4

— WTA (@WTA) August 1, 2018

Since reaching the Wimbledon semifinals just over 12 months ago and peaking at world No.4, it’s been a lean stretch for Konta. Since that memorable run on home soil, she had compiled a lukewarm win-loss record of 24-22 prior to this week in San Jose.

Asked whether she felt this win could spark a turnaround, she said she does not believe in “big bang” moments.

“All this match has given me is another opportunity to play again here, another match,” she said.

“So I’m grateful for that opportunity and I’m going to be working very hard to earn another one.”