When Johanna Konta lost in the first round of qualifying at the Australian Open 12 months ago, few would have predicted that a year on she would be a regular in the second week of a grand slam event.
But after reaching the fourth round at the US Open last summer, the 25-year-old is one win away from matching that achievement here.
Having upset seven-times grand slam winner Venus Williams in the first round, the potential for a let-down was always there, but Konta, not someone to get ahead of herself, eased into round three with a confident 6-2, 6-3 win over Zheng Saisai of China.
It was a polished, confident performance from someone who believes she deserves to be on this stage and one that will push her inside the top 40.
The Sydney-born Konta has been receiving plenty of support at Melbourne Park, even if some of it has been through gritted teeth by the locals, not that it is going to her head just yet.
“There is no rock star status, that’s for sure,” she said. “But I feel very lucky to have so many people out there supporting. There’s usually a big British contingent supporting the girls and guys so I’m very happy they came and watched my match.”
If she keeps up this kind of form, though, Konta will soon have to get used to being the centre of attention.
Aggressive from the baseline, a good server and an excellent mover, Konta is also a battler and will be favoured to win again tomorrow when she plays the Czech Denisa Allertova.
“In terms of expectation I’m taking it one day at a time,” she said. “Like I’ve always said I don’t judge myself on my rankings, it’s very much a process, daily routine that I live.
“I think it’s always nice to have people pulling for you but if you were to take other people’s expectations onto your shoulders that would be a very tough day.”
Allertova beat Konta in a tough three-setter at the French Open last summer but the Briton’s recent rise means she should be confident, even if she refuses to discuss how much she has improved.
“All I can say is that I have definitely gained more experience because of the situations I have been in since,” she said. “But she is better as well probably. I’m a big believer in new match, new day.”
Third seed Garbine Muguruza, the runner-up at Wimbledon last year, eased past Belgium’s Kirsten Flipkens 6-4, 6-2, while Victoria Azarenka continued her impressive start with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Danka Kovinic of Montenegro.
Two-time champion Azarenka looks fit and strong after spending most of last year building up strength following two injury-affected years.
The time away, she said, gave her a greater appreciation for life on Tour, trying to do the right things.
“What I found interesting for me is that it was going the wrong way,” she said. “I had injuries. I had not much of luck happening. I wanted to look and assess what it is I can do better, what it is I can improve.
“First was getting healthy, and then trying to just enjoy. I don't know. It comes pretty natural, but it did require a lot of self-work and really start kind of accepting myself for failures that I had and really just accept those and move forward, try to see what I can do better.”
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