Australian Open 2017: Jo Konta has no fears when she faces 22-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams in the last eight
Brit is relishing the challenge after describing her match-up as the 'ultimate test in tennis'
JO KONTA does not like spiders and she is a little scared of bees.
But the greatest women’s tennis player on Earth? Not a flicker.
Yes, it will be a childhood dream come true when she walks out to face Serena Williams in the Australian Open last eight here tomorrow.
Once the umpire shouts ‘play’ though, the 25-year-old who carries Britain’s flag into the second week here will simply zone in on doing what she does best.
And right now, she is doing it as well as anyone.
Konta was outstanding in mauling Russian Ekaterina Makarova 6-1 6-4, a barrage of aces and unstoppable returns reducing the No 30 seed to rubble.
And if she hits those heights against Williams and the 22-time Grand Slam legend serves as shakily as she did in her 7-5 6-4 fourth-round win over Barbora Strycova . . . well, you just never know.
Konta smiled: “When they announced I’d be playing Serena, everyone went: ‘Ooooh!’
“I was like, ‘What happened?’ But that’s Serena’s aura, that is what Serena has earned from everything she has achieved.
“Still, I thought it was quite funny.
“Is it the ultimate test in tennis? I guess so, because she is the greatest player right now. She’s pretty much done it all and very few get to do that, whatever their sport.
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“Am I scared of her? No. I wouldn’t want to be close to spiders. And I get frightened of bees.
“But I have worked on it, so I know that if I don’t flap around, they actually go away and do their own business.
“That’s all I do here — my own business.”
Konta shot to fame in the first round here last year when she beat Serena’s elder sister Venus. And now she aims to become the first Brit to beat both.
But asked if that breakthrough win gave her confidence, she said: “I don’t think it’s as simple as that. The first thing is that Serena and Venus are different, so it’s important for me to prepare to play Serena the way Serena plays.
“But all the experiences I’ve accumulated, especially in the last year and a half, have prepared me the best I could be to play someone like Serena.
“In short, I’m just looking forward to playing her and enjoying competing like I have every single other match.”
Konta has now gone nine matches on the spin without dropping a set, reached this stage playing 25 minutes fewer than Williams and lost fewer games — 22 to 27.
And Williams, 35, was full of praise for the girl who stands between her and the last four.
She said: “I’ve watched her game a lot.
“She’s been doing really, really well and she hasn’t lost yet this year, I don’t think. She has a very attacking game.
“I have absolutely nothing to lose in this tournament. Everything here is a bonus for me.
“Obviously I’m here to win, but all that matters is that I can play better.”