The number eight seed, who has never won the Australian Open but did reach the final in 2003, was defeated 6-4, 6-2 in an hour and 19 minutes at the Rod Laver arena by a dominant display from Konta, who has now beaten several big-name players in the past year as she has surged up the rankings.
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Konta crushed the eighth-seeded American, and seven-time grand slam champion, 6-4 6-2 in a first-round boilover on Tuesday. “I think there is no room for it in any sport, especially in tennis”.
If Konta needed a further lifting of the spirit the No2 seed, Simona Halep fell later to the Chinese qualifier Shuai Zhang, who registered her first grand slam win in 15 attempts.
Venus Williams faces sanctioning after refusing to explain her first-round loss at the Australian Open.
Former No.1-ranked Caroline Wozniacki lost 1-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4 to Yulia Putintseva, continuing a downward spiral at Melbourne Park that has resulted in her exiting one round earlier each year since she reached the 2011 semifinals.
“I have all the respect for Venus in the world”. It will not be a respite, more a return to normality, and Konta should win again.
Sharapova, who pulled out of the Brisbane International earlier this month because of a sore left forearm, has not played in a fair amount of tournaments since losing to Serena Williams in the semifinals of Wimbledon last summer.
It’s not the first time Williams has elected to pay up rather than speak up. She hasn’t made it past the quarterfinals at a major since 2010 and has lost in the first or second rounds nine times at a slam the past five years.
Speaking after the match, she said: “I’m very satisfied with how I dealt with the situation”.
“I haven’t played many matches in many weeks, it was great to come out here and start my season”, Sharapova said.
Konta deserved to win because Williams was powerless to stop her and, ultimately, she looked drained of desire.
This is the second time in three years Venus has been eliminated in the first round of the Australian Open and is the fifth consecutive year she has been knocked out of at least one major in the first round.
“I’m very happy. The conditions are extremely quick so you are not going to find that much rhythm out there”, Federer said.
Fernando Verdasco rallied from a 2-1 deficit to win the last two sets, recovering a break in the fifth as well, and claim a 7-6 (6), 4-6, 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2, only his third victory in 17 matches against his fellow Spanish lefthander.
“I think I was really focused and that first round really helped me because I was really just fighting”, world number one Williams told reporters after setting up a third-round clash against 18-year-old Russian Daria Kasatkina.
The top seed had to survive a tough opening match against Italian Camila Giorgi but destroyed the 90th-ranked Hsieh in exactly one hour in glorious sunshine at Rod Laver Arena.
“It’s irrelevant how old (Venus) is because she’s such a champion with so much experience and so much knowledge about the game”, said Konta, who was born in Australia to Hungarian parents and moved to Britain a decade ago.
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“But I served well and as the match went on I started to feel better and better, but the second set was crucial and I’m glad I got it done”.
