Johanna Konta was in trouble from start to finish to lose at the Australian Open Thursday. American Bernarda Pera ranked 123rd had the world number nine under pressure as she defeated the Brit 6-4, 7-5 to advance to the third round on Court Three at Melbourne Park.
The Brit did well to shut down Madison Brengle Monday allowing the American just four game winners. The American won her first round against Russia’s Anna Blinkova allowing her four games as well before winning in straight sets. The 23-year-old being a southpaw could bring a strategy that Konta isn’t ready for with her push to succeed being a top ten player so critical in the early stages.
Things went smoothly holding the opening serve to Pera before the American trailed along. They remained in form on their service games through four with Konta winning enough points on the first and second serve. It balanced out the two double faults she already recorded keeping her on point through five. After another balance through eight games, the important moment came to who would pressure the ending of the set.
The American got that opportunity breaking Konta in the ninth giving her a shot at serving for the set and a one up of the ninth seed. The 23-year-old set up two set points winning it on a long ball from Konta’s serve ending the set in 39 minutes. While both had good service games Pera’s success on the ace’s and winners outweighed what Konta brought to the court committing to 14 errors.
The Brit opened the second set with a firmer outcome holding off Pera before breaking her in the following game. Pera got her back by securing a break in the third keeping her eyes open for a chance to jump ahead. The American was denied the opportunity as Konta attacked the second serve to come out even on the scoreboard. She returned to lead the set once again with a key hold that put the pressure on Pera to match the Brit.
She and Konta went deep in the seventh having at each other to contain the lead. They went to four long breaks on deuce where the end result went to Pera who sat two games from pulling off a major victory in the draw. She got to 5-3 with Konta serving for stay alive in the match as the first serve underperformed profoundly. She had the chance to put the ninth game away and stay alive but her mistakes opened the chance for Pera to get it on deuce. She blew her first chance on match point with a long rally coming to an end at the net, and three other attempts that kept Konta vital to play on.
She achieved the opportunity to make Pera very nervous when she broke the American in the tenth to force the set deeper and keep herself a viable opponent. It was still a long road for Konta to make a comeback and with Pera taking the 11th game, the pressure only got worse. She ultimately fell in the game where the young American as a lucky loser in the tournament brought home a big win to finish the match in 1 hour and 40 minutes.
With the highlight upset in motion, she’ll use the confidence and prepare for her match against Czech star Barbora Strycova on Saturday.
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