Johanna Konta vs Venus Williams: Australian-born Konta ready to face local heat and Venus fire

'I love the heat'

Johanna Konta is relishing her Australian Open first round match with Venus Williams (Getty Images)

Johanna Konta, who was born in Sydney and spent her early years in Australia, relishes the conditions which can be such a challenge at the year’s opening Grand Slam event. That is just as well given the size of the task handed to the British No 1, who will take on a resurgent Venus Williams in the first round of the Australian Open here on Tuesday.

“I love the heat,” Konta said. “In that sense I’m lucky enough that I was born here and got a good number of years in some hot heat. I remember playing in the under-12 nationals here and it was so hot we literally had to kick our shoes off because they were burning at the end and the rubber was melting.”

Konta, who is in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament by dint of her world ranking for the first time, has faced Williams once before, losing narrowly to the 35-year-old American at the Wuhan Open in China in September.

“She was one of the players I grew up watching,” said Konta, 24. “She is definitely still at a very fit age and she’s proven that. She finished the year in the top 10. She’s come back from illness. She’s a high-quality player and has been for more than a decade. It’s an exciting challenge for me.”

Konta, who broke into the world’s top 50 last year, lost first time out in her opening two tournaments of the new season, whereas Heather Watson, the British No 2, has already won four times. Watson, the only other British woman in the main draw, faces a first-round encounter with Hungary’s Timea Babos, who beat her last summer.

Serena Williams was given the toughest challenge possible when she was paired with Italy’s Camila Giorgi, who as the world No 35 is the highest ranked player not seeded. Williams, who has a knee problem, has yet to complete a match this year.

Andy Murray has a tricky opening match on Tuesday against Germany’s Alexander Zverev, who at 18 is the youngest man in the world’s top 100. Murray beat the world No 83 in straight sets in their only previous meeting in the Hopman Cup in Perth last week.

Andy Murray practices ahead of the start of the Australian Open

Zverev, a former world junior No 1, described the draw as “a great opportunity” but added: “It is going to be a doubly different match because this is best of five sets, this is a Grand Slam and that was the Hopman Cup.”

The rest of Murray’s draw looks more favourable, with Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal all in the other half. In every round from the third onwards Murray has been drawn against the lowest-ranked seed he could have faced. The odds against being given such a draw were calculated at 256-1.

British No 2 Aljaz Bedene has a first-round meeting with American Steve Johnson, while No 3 Kyle Edmund faces Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia. Dan Evans was today meeting Bjorn Fratangelo in the final qualifying round.

Jamie Murray and his new partner, the Brazilian Bruno Soares, were due to meet Rohan Bopanna and Florin Mergea in today’s doubles final at the rain-hit Sydney International.