Wimbledon 2019 Quarter Final Preview
Johanna Konta came up with the goods big time in her big fourth-round showdown against two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova on Monday. Now she is on the brink of matching her previous best effort at SW19 of reaching the semi-finals. Can the Briton pull it off on what is going to be a big day of the quarter-final action?
Barbora Strycova v Johanna Konta Odds*
Johanna Konta 4/9
Barbora Strycova 7/4
* (betting odds taken from Bet365 on June 8th, 2019 at 7:38 pm)
Can Johanna Konta beat Barbora Strycova?
Konta once again showed some serious grit when she faced Petra Kvitova in the fourth round. Konta had let the first set slip away, but then she fought back. The ability to fight back has become a feature of her game this year. In the third round, she had battled back from having lost the opening set against Sloane Stephens.
The worrying thing is that it could catch up with her at some point. A Konta 2-1 set betting option is at 3/1 odds for this quarter-final* (betting odds taken from Bet365 on June 8th, 2019 at 7:38 pm). It’s always a tougher mental and physical battle in having to fight back. But then perhaps when the pressure is on, that is when Konta is at her best. It was back in 2017 that Konta reached the final four of Wimbledon where she lost out to Venus Williams.
Head to head
There has been just one previous meeting between Strycova and Konta. That was in Tokyo in 2017 on hard court. Strycova took the win in straight sets.
Can Strycova keep Wimbledon run going?
33-year-old Barbora Strycova has to be really happy with her efforts here. Just once before during her long career as she made it past the fourth round? That was back in 2014 when she recorded a quarterfinal finish. The Czech Player took a W13 L14 season record into Wimbledon this season and she did recently have a pretty decent run on the grass in Birmingham where she reached the semi-finals, losing to Ashleigh Barty.
Strycova had to come from 6-4, 5-2 down to pull off an upset against Elise Mertens in a fourth-round match. It was a wonderful comeback in what is her 17th Wimbledon campaign. That was a long gruelling match for her though running to almost two and a half hours. She has mostly been participating at the International level this season apart from dropping into the mandatory higher level tournaments here and there. Strycova is also still in the doubles at Wimbledon, will the quarterfinals once again be a step too far for the classy veteran?
Predictions
You worry sometimes that in taking on an easier opponent that Konta will let her focus and intensity drop. If she doesn’t then she should breeze this one. The Brit was so good against Kvitova in a match for which she was an underdog. Konta 2-0 set betting is at 11/10 * (betting odds taken from Bet365 on June 8th, 2019 at 7:38 pm)