MELBOURNE — Seeded inside the top 8 at a major for the first time since the 2011 Australian Open, Venus Williams was bundled out by British upstart Johanna Konta in the first round here Tuesday.
Konta, who rose from No. 150 a year ago to a current ranking of No. 47, never let the 35-year-old American into the match, winning it 6-4, 6-2 inside Rod Laver Arena. Hours after her loss, the International Tennis Federation confirmed that Venus Williams declined to do her mandatory post-match press engagements, meaning she could face fines leveled by the tournament if a committee of Grand Slam Supervisors deem it necessary.
Venus was fined $3,000 by the French Open last year after a first round loss there to fellow American Sloane Stephens.
Here’s how it happened against Konta.
Scoreline: Johanna Konta (GBR) def. [8] Venus Williams 6-4, 6-2
Williams loses in the first round here for the second time in three years, having made the quarterfinals a year ago. Konta finished the 2015 season 24-4, qualifying for the U.S. Open and advancing to the fourth round there.
What it means: Williams, the former world No. 1, is out of a major at an early stage once again. There was renewed hope around Venus following her impressive 2015, which saw her make the quarterfinals both here and in New York, as well as the fourth round at Wimbledon. It was just the eighth time in 62 Grand Slam appearances that she lost her opening match.
How it happened: It was a side-to-side effort from Konta, who effectively moved Venus from one end of the court to the other with steady, heavy baseline strokes. After Konta failed to serve for the first set at 5-2, she executed at 6-4 to take a one-set lead.
The two had met just once, Venus winning last fall in Wuhan 7-5 in the third set. Konta sprinted to a 5-0 lead in the second set as well, but she needed the padding, failing to serve out the match at her first attempt and then slamming the door shut at 6-2, having lost 10 consecutive points at one point. Williams missed a backhand return into the net on Konta’s first match point opportunity.
Key stat: Williams’ serve, which has become vulnerable late in her career, was broken five times as she won just 52 percent of points on her first serve delivery. Konta hit 15 winners, including four aces to seal the victory.
“Konta is absolutely steam-rolling Venus,” Patrick McEnroe said on ESPN as the match came to a close. “Nothing has been working for Venus today,” Mary Joe Fernandez added.
What she said: “When the draw came out and I saw who I was playing, I just thought, ‘I hope I stay out there for more than an hour,’” Konta said on court after the upset. “Right now I’m just… Wow, I don’t know.”
"Even if she's playing with one leg out there, you've got to really take care of things on your own," Konta said. "She's an incredible player. I have all the respect for her in the world. I was just very... just really enjoying my time out there."
Konta will face either Carina Witthoeft or Zheng Saisai in the second round, neither of which are ranked inside the top 60.
PHOTOS: Best of the Australian Open
