EXCLUSIVE: With sporting blood coursing through her veins, Johanna Konta has cemented her place as a tennis legend. And now, the remarkable athlete has looked back on her inspirational journey from the beaches of Sydney to playing at Wimbledon.
Born in Australia, to a mother and father who deemed physical activity of optimum importance, it’s no surprise that Konta gravitated towards sport, especially with a grandad who played international football for Hungary and even coached Ghana to Africa Cup of Nations glory.
Johanna Konta’s grandad played alongside Ferenc Puskas
The great Tamás Kertész represented his country on two occasions, gracing the pitch alongside footballing icon Ferenc Puskas. He also made a significant impact on the club scene for Ferencvaros.
The right winger made his presence known during a historic victory in the final of the 1958 Magyar Kupa (Hungarian Cup) against Salgotarjani BTC, gliding past defenders with his formidable skills.
In total, he bagged an impressive 54 goals in 179 appearances for the side.
However, he was much more than just a player. With an innate understanding of the game, he secured a coaching role at Ghana, guiding the country to an AFCON championship.
In an exclusive interview with Sporf, Konta explained: “He was part of the 50s Hungarian national team, and then he became a very successful football coach. He helped Ghana win the Africa Cup of Nations. My mum travelled a lot because of that. So, she lived in Ghana, Ethiopia, and Iran. It was a colourful upbringing for her in that respect. My great-grandfather on my mother’s side, was a famous jockey. There is some sporting heritage in there.”
Thus, it’s clear where his grandaughter’s sporting talent came from, even if it was with the racket rather than the ball.
Johanna Konta travelled to Barcelona to pursue her tennis dream
After falling in love with the game, the gifted player’s parents ensured their daughter had the greatest possible chance of reaching her goals.
When she was 14, the youngster moved to Barcelona, Spain, for 15 months, to hone her craft at the Sánchez-Casal Tennis Academy.
However, while leaving home and going to the other side of the world would have proved difficult for most teenagers, Konta revelled in the opportunity, excelling past her peers and becoming the powerful player, capable of creating awe-inspiring angles, that tennis fans came to adore so much.
She reminisced: “It was unique. Coming from Australia, it felt very far and hard to access the rest of the world when it came to tennis, with a hub in Europe and North America. I had a desire to be in the heart of tennis. The stepping stone was Barcelona. I went to an academy there, and at the time, my parents wanted to move to Spain. But it didn’t work out like that; we ended up in the UK and never left.”
Johanna Konta reveals her greatest Wimbledon moment
As the years rolled by, Konta developed into a remarkable player, capable of striking fear into the heart of any woman who dared set foot on the court with her.
The Australian-born star, who eventually gained British citizenship, dazzled at Wimbledon, producing awe-inspiring displays of tennis, in front of the fans watching in person and those sitting eating strawberries and cream on Henman Hill.
During her stint playing at the competition, she created many an epic moment, but one undeniably stands out from all the rest.
She beamed: “I was playing Simona Halep under the roof on centre court. It was the first time I’d competed under the roof, so I’d never heard the acoustics before. It was a full stadium, and it was a tough, high-level competitive match, so to come through that and feel the energy from the crowd was special.”
Since her retirement from the sport, Konta has segued seamlessly into punditry, fascinating viewers with her intuitive takes.
Therefore, it goes without saying that tennis enthusiasts will be paying close attention to her 2024 Wimbledon picks.
The 33-year-old concluded: “I would love to see Iga Swiatek win the women’s. I think it’s a matter of time before she will. I’d like it to be sooner rather than later, just for the critics more than anything. I want to see Jannik Sinner in the final for the men’s.”
Featured Image Credit: Getty
