British number three Naomi Broady is into the ASB Classic third round after a controversial match against Jelena Ostapenko, who escaped disqualification for throwing a racquet at a ball boy.

Broady saved two match points to win 4-6 7-6 (7-4) 7-5 before an angry exchange with the Latvian at the net.

Ostapenko claimed her racquet slipped from her hand in the second-set tie-break and was let off with a warning.

Broady disagreed saying her opponent should be "straight disqualified."

"You'll see on the replay, there's no way it was accidental. She threw the racquet and it hit the ball boy," Broady told the umpire in an on-court exchange.

WTA rules state that "players shall not at any time physically abuse any official, opponent, spectator or other person...for the purposes of this rule, physical abuse is the unauthorized touching of an official, opponent and spectator or other person".

Players can be disqualified for incidents by the umpire and fined up to $10,000 (£6,830) for each violation.

Former British number one Tim Henman was disqualified from Wimbledon in 1995 after accidentally hitting a ball girl with a ball struck in frustration, while David Nalbandian was thrown out of the Queens final in 2012 after kicking out at an advertising hoarding, cutting the shin of a line judge.

World number 88 Ostapenko, ranked 38 places higher than Broady, was allowed to continue after a tour supervisor was called to court, with Broady appearing to be near tears over the incident.

The Briton knuckled down in the third set, reeling off six successive games to snatch victory before becoming involved in an argument following the post-match handshakes.

"Jelena commented that my behaviour was terrible, which I thought was a bit out of order considering the events that had gone on in the match," said Broady of the row.

Broady, who beat former world number one Ana Ivanovic in the first round, will now play American Sloane Stephens.

British number three Naomi Broady was beaten in the quarter-finals of the ASB Classic by American Sloane Stephens.

Broady had two chances to win the first set but lost 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 in Auckland.

The world number 122 led 6-5 in the opener, but fifth seed Stephens held her serve to force a tie-break and saved a set point before taking it 8-6.

Broady, who won a controversial match to reach the last eight, broke to lead 2-1 in the next set, but Stephens won five of the next six games to progress.

"It was a tough one, Naomi's a great player," said Stephens. "She has had such a great week here."

In the Hopman Cup, although GB won their round against France on Monday 2-1 (Andy Murray won his singles match, Heather Watson lost, and they won the doubles), yesterday they lost 1-2 against Australian Green, with Andy Murray losing, Heather Watson winning, and then losing the doubles. The only way they can get to the final is if Australian Green lose all their matches in the last tound and GB win all theirs.

Heather Watson's singles results:
Monday Caroline Garcia (FRA) (ranked 34) d Heather Watson (GBR) 6-3 5-7 6-3
Wednesday Heather Watson (GBR) d Daria Gavrilova (ranked 36) (AUS) 6-7(2) 6-2 7-5

Britons Andy Murray and Heather Watson registered singles wins on a sweltering day in Perth to help give Great Britain a 3-0 Hopman Cup whitewash of Germany.

On a morning when temperatures rose to 36 degrees, Watson beat Sabine Lisicki 6-3 6-4 before Murray overcame Alexander Zverev 6-3 6-4.

The pair then teamed up for a 6-3 6-4 win in the mixed doubles.

Britain still need France to beat Australia Green in the last group game to reach Saturday's final.

British women's number two Watson, 23,  secured an impressive straight-sets win over former Wimbledon finalist Lisicki.

Lisicki, ranked 32 in the world, made a strong start on serve in the first set only for Watson to make the decisive break at 4-3 and serve out the set to 15.

The second set was more comfortable for world number 55 Watson as she broke Lisicki twice to seal a third career win over her former training partner.

"It was a really good match," Watson said. "She's a tough opponent and a great server, so I knew that holding serve would be very important.

"I did a shorter off-season, but more intense, this year," she added. "I feel like this is the fittest and strongest I've ever been."

Defending champion Heather Watson took just one hour and 13 minutes to beat Brazilian Teliana Pereira at the Hobart International.

Watson, the world number 53, won 6-3 6-0 and will now face Romanian fourth seed Monica Niculescu in round two.

But British number one Johanna Konta is out after a first-round defeat by Slovakia's third seed, Dominika Cibulkova.

Konta lost 7-6 (8-6) 7-5 after failing to convert five first-set points.

"It doesn't happen every day that you win a tie-break from 1-6 down against such a good serving player," said Cibulkova, 26.

There were no such problems for Watson, 23, as she served seven aces in a dominant win against the world number 46.
As she won this tournament last year her world ranking will be severely hit if she doesn't win, potentially by some 30 places. However she's started the year fairly well. Her opponent in the second round is Monica Niculescu who although seeded 4th has a world ranking of 39 and Heather Watson has a good chance of winning.

Britain's Heather Watson is having a busy time at the Hobart International in Australia.

The defending champion earlier beat Romania's Monica Niculescu 6-7 (3/7) 6-2 7-6 (7/3)  in a rain-interrupted second round match which lasted three hours and 13 minutes, and stretched over two days (the first 2 sets and first 4 games of the 3rd set were yesterday).

But there is no rest for the British number one who is already back on court again facing Sweden's Johanna Larsson (ranked 54) for a place in the semi-finals.
Heather Watson won the first set 6-3 but is currently 0-3 down in the second.

Heather Watson lost the 2nd and 3rd sets 4-6 each so is out. Her world ranking will be hit and she'll fall down to around 80. However unless she gets knocked out in the first round of the Australian Open it should start to improve.

Australian Open draw has been made.

Heather Watson drawn against Timea Babos (ranked 59) and Johanna Konta drawn against Venus Williams (ranked 10).
Naomi Broady was knocked out in  the qualifying stages.

Former British number one Laura Robson will begin her latest comeback from injury on Sunday, when she enters qualifying for a tournament in Florida.

The 21-year-old, who is ranked 557th in the world, will play American Ingrid Neel (who is ranked 578th) in the ITF event, which has a total prize fund of £17,500.

Robson has had niggling injuries since having wrist surgery in 2014 and had 18 months out of the game.

She reached a career-high singles ranking of 27 in July 2013.

Robson returned at Eastbourne last June after her wrist operation, but played only 10 singles matches in 2015, and was knocked out of both Wimbledon and the US Open in the first rounds.

She played her last match of the year in September, taking the rest of the year off to continue her recovery.

"Little niggles have cropped up as they do when you are not using your body in the way that you want to on the match court," said Britain's Fed Cup captain Judy Murray.

"I can only imagine it must be hugely, hugely frustrating but the key for her is to make sure her body is absolutely ready to go, however long that takes.

"Qualifying for a smaller event is exactly the right way to go."

Former British number one Laura Robson's latest comeback from injury ended in a 6-3 1-6 6-3 loss to 17-year-old American Ingrid Neel in Florida.

Heather Watson beaten by Timea Babos 7-6, 5-7, 5-7 in a very close match.

Any good news? Lol

Poor Heather - she had a chance to win it in straight sets but ended up on the losing end of a grinding 3 hour attritional battle.

Cold Sweat, as you asked if there's any good news, here's some today.

Johanna Konta outclassed eighth seed Venus Williams 6-4 6-2 to reach the second round of the Australian Open.

Britain's number one, 24, raced to victory in 79 minutes as seven-time Grand Slam champion Williams, her left thigh heavily strapped, struggled.

Konta denied that 35-year-old Williams' age had anything to do with the American's laboured display.

"It's irrelevant how old she is because she's such a champion with so much experience and knowledge," said Konta.

"Even if she's playing with one leg out there, you've got to really take care of things on your own because she's an incredible player. I have all the respect for her in the world."

Konta, who reached the last 16 at the 2015 US Open, is the only British woman left in the singles draw following Heather Watson's defeat on Monday.

The world number 47, making her Australian Open debut, will now face either Carina Witthoeft or Saisai Zheng.

Well done Johanna Konta

British number one Johanna Konta reached the third round of the Australian Open with an impressive win over China's Zheng Saisai in Melbourne.

Konta, ranked 47th in the world - 36 places higher than her opponent, won 6-2 6-3 and will next face Czech Denisa Allertova (ranked 66th), who beat Sabine Lisicki.

The Sydney-born Briton had never won a match in the main draw at the Australian Open before this year.

She and Zheng were meeting for the second time, with Konta having won in French Open qualifying two years ago, and she moved 3-1 ahead thanks to some aggressive returning.

Zheng pressed hard but could not convert a handful of break points and dropped serve once again as Konta took the first set in 37 minutes.

Some wayward volleying saw Konta fail to capitalise on two early chances in the second set, but the relentless pressure of her groundstrokes told two games later as she again broke for 3-1.

She finally dropped serve, to love, while serving for the match at 5-1 before wrapping up victory after one hour and 22 minutes.

"There were definitely some nerves at the end," said Konta.

"I was very happy I was able to keep it together, there's so much tension out there. I'm just happy I was able to deal with it the best I could and come through."

Britain's Johanna Konta reached her second successive Grand Slam fourth round with victory over Czech Denisa Allertova at the Australian Open.

Konta, 24, won 6-2 6-2 at Melbourne Park to match her run to the last 16 at last year's US Open.

She is the first British woman to make the fourth round of the Australian Open since Jo Durie and Anne Hobbs in 1987.

Konta goes on to face Russia's 21st seed Ekaterina Makarova, who beat Czech ninth seed Karolina Pliskova 6-3 6-2.

Quick-fire win for Konta

A first-serve percentage of 72%, 12 break points created and none faced told a story of complete domination by Konta in the opening match on Hisense Arena.

She broke serve at the first opportunity and fired down an ace 29 minutes later to seal the first set as Allertova, ranked 19 places lower at 66 in the world, struggled to keep pace at the other end of the court.

The Czech had won their only previous match at last year's French Open but Konta is an altogether different prospect these days and broke for the third time at the start of the second set.

Konta continued to dominate on serve and wrapped up a one-sided win after just 63 minutes.

"It was not easy out there," said the Sydney-born Briton. "She's an incredibly tough opponent and I knew I had to run down each ball and fight for every point. It definitely wasn't easy."

Allertova, 22, revealed she had been hampered by a leg injury, but said: "She played well on every point, she has got much better since we met at the French Open.

"She is going up and up and is such a good player."

WOW - what a dominant 3rd round performance from Konta!

Johanna Konta became the first British woman to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final for 32 years by beating Ekaterina Makarova at the Australian Open.

Konta, making her debut in the main draw, fought back to beat the 21st seed 4-6 6-4 8-6 in the fourth round.

The last British woman to play in the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam was Jo Durie, at Wimbledon in 1984.

The 24-year-old Konta, ranked 47 in the world, will face either 15th seed Madison Keys or China's Shuai Zhang.

"It was mentally, emotionally and physically draining," said Konta, after a match that lasted three hours and four minutes.

"Those four minutes were important, believe me.

"I left it all out there on court, ran after every single ball and was fortunate enough to capitalise on some opportunities."

Konta, who was born in Australia, had beaten her Russian opponent in their only previous meeting.

Konta also became the first British woman to reach the Australian Open fourth round since Durie and Anne Hobbs in 1987.

This win should improve Joanna Konta's ranking to around 33rd.

Johanna Konta's opponent in the quarter final early tomorrow morning is Shuai Zhang, who is currently ranked 133rd but has a career high ranking of 30th and a road to Singapore (so indicative of her current ability) of 23rd.

Johanna Konta continued her remarkable run with a 6-4 6-1 win over China's Zhang Shuai in the quarter-finals and next faces German seventh seed Angelique Kerber.

Konta, ranked 47th, is the first British woman to reach a Grand Slam semi-final since Jo Durie made the US Open last four in 1983.

"I didn't put anything on this match," said Konta. "I just wanted to come out and play the best level that I could, and give the best entertainment I could."

"I'm just so happy that I'm enjoying what I'm doing," said Konta after her straight-set win over Zhang. "That is me living my dream."

Her achievements so far have guaranteed her prize money of at least £370,000 and are likely to secure her a place in the world's top 30.

"When I was a little girl, I dreamt of winning grand slams and being number one in the world," she added. "That dream stays the same, I think, as long as you're doing the career that you're on."

Konta said she "just wanted to come out and play the best level" she could against Zhang, who was also in uncharted waters.

The British number one saw off the Chinese qualifier, ranked 133rd in the world, in one hour and 22 minutes.

Konta began confidently, breaking twice and serving superbly as she moved 5-2 clear before overcoming some nerves and a resurgent opponent to clinch the set.

After saving a break point that would have made it 5-5 and then converting her sixth set point, the confidence returned and Konta again earned a double-break lead in the second set.

With a semi-final place there for the taking, Konta saw two match points slip by but converted the third thanks to a net cord.

"To be honest, I was taking it a match at a time," said Konta. "She definitely didn't make it easy for me.

"Every time I was ahead, she was constantly there. I'm not proud of the net cord, but I'm happy I was able to fight every point."

A Grand Slam final appearance is now a real possibility, arguably more so after Kerber's surprise win over the in-form Victoria Azarenka.

Kerber and Konta will meet for the first time in Thursday's second semi-final at around 04:30 GMT.

Quite a long article today on the BBC site about Johanna Konta and can she become a popular sportsperson in this country. The article considers other well know sportspeople who are/were associated with this country but not wholly British.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-35409884

By the way Heather Watson's mother comes from Papua New Guines and her father from England. She was born in Guernsey.

Laura Robson's parents are Asutralian where she was born. She moved to the UK when she was 6.

By the way Laura Robson did win a couple of matches in the qualifying rounds this week in a ITF tournament in Florida but lost in the third round.

This is beyond fantastic from Johanna Konta!

El Loro posted:

Quite a long article today on the BBC site about Johanna Konta and can she become a popular sportsperson in this country. The article considers other well know sportspeople who are/were associated with this country but not wholly British.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-35409884

By the way Heather Watson's mother comes from Papua New Guines and her father from England. She was born in Guernsey.

Laura Robson's parents are Asutralian where she was born. She moved to the UK when she was 6.

Have to admit didn't know that about Bradley Wiggins - and not that it's of particular significance.

Johanna Konta's superb Australian Open run came to an end with defeat by German seventh seed Angelique Kerber in the semi-finals.

Konta, the first British woman for 33 years to play in a Grand Slam semi-final, went down 7-5 6-2 in Melbourne.

"I played against a better player today who earned her right to a Grand Slam final," said the British number one.

The 24-year-old collects £370,000 in prize money, while her ranking is set to jump from 47 to inside the top 30.

Kerber goes on to face world number one Serena Williams, who took just 64 minutes to thrash Polish fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska 6-0 6-4.

The American, 34, is the defending champion and is chasing a seventh Australian Open and 22nd Grand Slam title.

Konta errors count her out

The Briton made a nervous start and could not stem a flow of errors that kept the pressure off Kerber.

Konta ended the match with 36 unforced errors to the German's 11, having dropped serve five times over an hour and 22 minutes.

She looked every bit the debutante at this level as she slipped 3-0 down, with Kerber - twice a Grand Slam semi-finalist - hardly required to do anything but keep the ball in play in the early stages.

There was real hope for Konta when she found some rhythm and clawed her way back to lead 5-4 in the first set, but Kerber broke again at 5-5 and would lose just two more games.

'I'm really hungry to keep improving'

Konta was staying upbeat after her loss, insisting: "I don't think I missed an opportunity."

She felt Kerber simply played better, adding there were a lot of positives to take from her straight-sets defeat.

"I'm really hungry to keep improving and keep enjoying what I'm doing," she said. "So that's where I'm at.

"I just will go back, keep working hard, keep improving the things that I want to improve and keep enjoying what I'm doing."

'She will only get better'

Konta's progress over the last 12 months has been described as "phenomenal" by GB Davis Cup captain Leon Smith.

"Jo should be so proud of herself, the way she's played and handled herself," he told BBC Radio 5 Live. "Yes, she'll be disappointed today, but she probably can't wait to get going again."

Jo Durie, Britain's last female Grand Slam semi-finalist, and former British number one Greg Rusedski both tweeted praise for Konta.

Rusedski, who reached the US Open final in 1997,wrote: "Great run for @JoKonta91 getting to the semifinals of a GS for the first time. Now into the top 30 in the world. She will only get better."

I was looking in this thread to trace my first post mentioning Joanna Konta (excluding just ranking positions) and found this from 5 August 2013 where she had won a couple of second tier titles within a week or so,
https://www.gagajoyjoy.com/topi...6#347369188811830386

My post the following day was about Laura Robson having to withdraw because of a wrist injury. Although that wasn't the injury that kept her out for such a long time, it was a sign of problems ahead.

El Loro posted:

I was looking in this thread to trace my first post mentioning Joanna Konta (excluding just ranking positions) and found this from 5 August 2013 where she had won a couple of second tier titles within a week or so,
https://www.gagajoyjoy.com/topi...6#347369188811830386

 

My post the following day was about Laura Robson having to withdraw because of a wrist injury. Although that wasn't the injury that kept her out for such a long time, it was a sign of problems ahead.

Heather Watson was ranked 79 then and is currently ranked 79.

It does seem as though 40-60 is her potential when playing well - based on the previous 4 seasons.

Cold Sweat posted:

El Loro posted:

I was looking in this thread to trace my first post mentioning Joanna Konta (excluding just ranking positions) and found this from 5 August 2013 where she had won a couple of second tier titles within a week or so,
https://www.gagajoyjoy.com/topi...6#347369188811830386

 

My post the following day was about Laura Robson having to withdraw because of a wrist injury. Although that wasn't the injury that kept her out for such a long time, it was a sign of problems ahead.

Heather Watson was ranked 79 then and is currently ranked 79.

It does seem as though 40-60 is her potential when playing well - based on the previous 4 seasons.

Yes. If she wants to get above 40 she will need to deal with the weaknesses in her game. The commentator on her match with Time Babos said that Heather Watson's achilles heel is where she uses a forward return of serve rather than a backhand. She's also without a full time coach at present - Judy Murray was helping on an interim basis during her time in Australia but not on a pemanent basis.

Heather Watson is 23, Johanna Konta 24, and players do tend to get to their best in their mid 20s. For instance Naomi Broady, the number 3, is 25 and had been in the 200-300 range for some years, then in 2014 finished the season at 158 and last year at 118. 8 of the top 10 players are over 25.

So it will be interesting to see where they are in a couple of years.

New rankings:

Johanna Konta 28 up from 47

Heather Watson 85 down from 78

Johanna Konta has had to pull out of the Fed Cup team due to an "ongoing intestinal illness" that got worse during the Australian Open. She had been advised by doctors that playing could exacerbate the condition.

"This comes as a big disappointment to me and I regret not being able to play," she said.

"I have represented GB every time I have been asked to and fully intend to play again given the opportunity in the future."

Captain Judy Murray and her team face Georgia and South Africa from Thursday in their bid to win promotion from Euro/Africa Zone Group 1.

"While it's obviously very disappointing, we still have a squad of players capable of winning through the group," Murray said.

"I have a couple of days to fill the fourth spot, and that gives two of our most promising teenagers Katie Swan and Freya Christie the chance to join Heather Watson and our doubles specialists Jocelyn Rae and Anna Smith in the team."

Christie is ranked 395, while 16-year-old Swan is 520 in the world.

Georgia's highest ranked player is 226nd and South Africa's 317th.

Teenager Katie Swan has been selected as one of Great Britain's singles representatives for this week's Fed Cup tie in Israel.
At 16 years and 316 days, she will become GB's youngest ever Fed Cup player, beating Anne Keothavong by 270 days.

Katie Swan became Britain's youngest ever Fed Cup player at the age of 16 as she beat South Africa's Ilze Hattingh.

The teenager, ranked 524th, won 6-3 6-0 to give Britain a 1-0 lead in their opening tie at the Europe/Africa Group 1 tournament in Eilat, Israel.

Heather Watson and the doubles team of Jocelyn Rae and Anna Smith will play the remaining matches in the best-of-three tie.

Whichever of the 3 countries tops their pool (B) after the round robin matches plays the winner of Pool D (Belgium, Bulgaria, Hungary & Latvia). The winner secures a World Group II play-off in April.

Yesterday against South Africa, Heather Watson, ranked 85th, was a comfortable 6-3 6-3 winner over world number 317 Chanel Simmonds in the second singles, before Jocelyn Rae and Anna Smith defeated Madrie Le Roux and Michelle Sammons 6-3 6-2.

Georgia beat South Africa on Wednesday winning all three matches. the GB/Georgia mtches are today. Whichever country wins gets through to play the winner of Pool D which will be either Belgium or Bulgaria.

Another win for Katie Swan this morning beating Ekatarine Gorgodze 6-3, 6-3

Heather Watson beats Sofia Shapatava 6-2, 6-0 so GB top pool B whatever happens with the doubles match.

Although GB lost their doubles match they still go through to face Belgium tomorrow. The Belgium singles players are Ysaline Bonaventure (ranked 160) and  Alison Van Uytvanck (ranked 43). The doubles players look as if they will be two of An-Sophie Mestach (ranked 64), Ysaline Bonaventure (ranked 57 for her doubles ranking) and Marie Benoit (ranked 442).

Both Anna Smith's and Jocelyn Rae's doubles ranking is 68.

Looks to be a much closer tie for GB compared to the ties with South Africa and Georgia.

Great Britain's Katie Swan lost in three sets to Ysaline Bonaventure as GB fell 1-0 behind to Belgium in their Fed Cup promotion play-off.

World number 524 Swan, 16, was beaten 6-3 3-6 6-3 by the 21-year-old, ranked 160, in the opening rubber of the best-of-three tie in Eilat, Israel.

British number two Heather Watson plays Alison van Uytvanck later before a potentially decisive doubles rubber. Heather has lost the first set.

Heather Watson lost to Alison van Uytvanck 4-6, 6-3, 4-6 so GB won't progress to the play offs in April.

British number three Naomi Broady has broken into the world's top 100 for the first time after winning an ITF tournament in the United States.

The 25-year-old from Stockport beat American wildcard Robin Anderson 6-7 (6-8) 6-0 6-2 in the final of the Dow Corning Tennis Classic in Michigan.

Broady came back from a set down to win her ninth ITF singles title.

She jumps from 112th to 96th, joining fellow Britons Johanna Konta (28) and Heather Watson (84) in the top 100.

The ITF tournaments are a developmental circuit for players who are not competing regularly with the world's elite on the WTA Tour.

After an incident in 2007 Naomi Broady has been in dispute with the Lawn Tennis Association and is not funded by them. That appears to be the reason for her not representing GB at the recent Fed Cup.

Johanna Konta and Heather Watson are in the Mexico Open which starts today, their first tournament since the Australian Open. Johanna Konta (seeded 4) plays Anett Kontaveit (ranked 91) and Heather Watson Christina McHale (ranked 64).

British number one Johanna Konta has beaten Estonian Anett Kontaveit 6-3 3-6 6-4 in the first round of the Abierto Mexicano Telcel in Acapulco.

In her first match since reaching the Australian Open semi-finals last month, world number 26 Konta raced 5-1 ahead.

She was broken twice as 20-year-old Kontaveit, ranked 91, levelled in the first meeting between the players.

Konta, 24, also lost her first two service games in the decider but finally won in an hour and 44 minutes.

Heather Watson's match is tonight.