'People tell me I've inspired their children' - Konta reflects on her groundbreaking run at Wimbledon
Johanna Konta has thanked British tennis fans for their passionate support during Wimbledon and pledged to work harder to take her game to the next level.
A semifinal appearance at Wimbledon – Great Britain’s first in the women’s singles in nearly four decades – helped the British No.1 reach a career-high ranking of world No.4 this week.
"There's a lot of work to be done," the 26-year-old told BBC Sport. "I definitely feel I can physically improve. I'd like to get stronger, move better on court. I’ve got a massive amount of room to grow in all areas of my game. I'm constantly looking to be more mentally strong and technically sound.
"My targets aren’t results or rankings-orientated. They are to make sure that I maximize every single part of me to bring out the best in me. I can only hope that keeps bringing me good things."
Venus Williams, Wimbledon, The Championships, Johanna Konta
Venus Williams ended Konta's Wimbledon run at the semifinal stage (Getty)
Her quarterfinal victory over Simona Halep attracted an impressive peak of 7.4 million viewers for the BBC's live TV coverage in the UK, while millions more watched around the world.
"It's a massive compliment and brilliant for tennis," she said. "It's great that so many people got invested and involved in my match, living the moment with me. I feel incredibly humbled and grateful for the support, for their enthusiasm and their passion. I definitely felt the love. Emotionally it was an incredible experience. It’s quite an experience when you have thousands cheering for you in quite an intimate setting.
"I've been recognised on the street more. People have congratulated me on my run and said I've inspired them or their children."
Konta returns from her break at the Rogers Cup in Toronto in early August before the final Grand Slam of the year, the US Open – where she has reached the fourth round for the last two years.
She is also looking to represent Great Britain in the Fed Cup again next year, adding: "One of the biggest honors you get as an athlete is to represent your country, especially in a team event. I would definitely love to keep participating."
Source: http://www.wtatennis.com/news/people-tell-me-ive-inspired-their-children-konta-reflects-her-groundbreaking-run-wimbledon
A semifinal appearance at Wimbledon – Great Britain’s first in the women’s singles in nearly four decades – helped the British No.1 reach a career-high ranking of world No.4 this week.
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The British No.1 is adapting to wider recognition in her home country following a string of captivating displays at Wimbledon.
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"My targets aren’t results or rankings-orientated. They are to make sure that I maximize every single part of me to bring out the best in me. I can only hope that keeps bringing me good things."
Venus Williams, Wimbledon, The Championships, Johanna Konta
Venus Williams ended Konta's Wimbledon run at the semifinal stage (Getty)
Her quarterfinal victory over Simona Halep attracted an impressive peak of 7.4 million viewers for the BBC's live TV coverage in the UK, while millions more watched around the world.
"It's a massive compliment and brilliant for tennis," she said. "It's great that so many people got invested and involved in my match, living the moment with me. I feel incredibly humbled and grateful for the support, for their enthusiasm and their passion. I definitely felt the love. Emotionally it was an incredible experience. It’s quite an experience when you have thousands cheering for you in quite an intimate setting.
"I've been recognised on the street more. People have congratulated me on my run and said I've inspired them or their children."
Konta returns from her break at the Rogers Cup in Toronto in early August before the final Grand Slam of the year, the US Open – where she has reached the fourth round for the last two years.
She is also looking to represent Great Britain in the Fed Cup again next year, adding: "One of the biggest honors you get as an athlete is to represent your country, especially in a team event. I would definitely love to keep participating."
Source: http://www.wtatennis.com/news/people-tell-me-ive-inspired-their-children-konta-reflects-her-groundbreaking-run-wimbledon
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