• French Open champion looks forward to grass season
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Johanna Konta’s “acceptance” fatalism got her to the semi-finals of the French Open, her third journey that far in a slam event. Ashleigh Barty’s uncomplicated realism helped her win her breakthrough major and, if they meet at Wimbledon next month, their clash of philosophies will inform the course of the championship.
The British No 1 left Paris with five wins and a loss, butchering set point with an ill-judged drive volley (that she then packed away for the rest of the semi-final) to let Marketa Vondrousova escape from 5-3 down in the semi-finals on Friday and advance to Saturday’s decider where the Czech teenager’s composure evaporated in the face of Barty’s fearless and intelligent shot-making.
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