The only British woman to win the Miami Open

British star made history with a dominant 2017 run in Florida

In 2017, Johanna Konta reached her first Miami Open Women’s Singles final after overcoming a series of high-level opponents, including multiple Grand Slam champions.

Seeded 10th, the Brit defeated Aliaksandra Sasnovich, Pauline Parmentier, Lara Arruabarrena, Simona Halep and Venus Williams to book her place in the final, where she faced Caroline Wozniacki.

Johanna Konta makes history with Miami Open triumph

Konta, who reached a career-high ranking of world number four, produced a composed performance in the final, defeating Wozniacki 6-4, 6-3 to secure the title and become the only British woman to win the Miami Open.

After the match, she reflected on her approach: “I think going into any match, but also against someone like Caroline who’s such an athlete and can really stay out there as long as she needs to, it was really important for me to straightaway assert myself in the manner I wanted to play just so I had it clear in my head and give myself the best chance of executing what I wanted to tactically.”

She admitted the moment itself felt surreal: “Actually, not much was going through my head [after the match]. I think I was just sitting and staring off into space a little bit. So much also happens straight after that it’s a bit of a whirlwind. Yeah, there wasn’t much going through there [laughter].”

Konta also highlighted how evenly contested the match felt: “I think quite honestly there wasn’t any key moment in that match. Until the end that wasn’t too much in it. I tried to not wish time away and to really stay out there as long as possible and really enjoy competing. I think even when it was finished I was expecting more points to come.”

Her path to the title underlined the achievement:

The 2017 Miami Open would ultimately stand as Konta’s only WTA 1000 title, despite later reaching finals in China and Italy, where she was beaten by Agnieszka Radwańska and Karolina Pliskova.

Konta reflects on career and retirement decision

Konta retired from professional tennis in December 2021, having reached three Grand Slam semi-finals and won four WTA Tour titles.

Her final appearance came at the Cincinnati Open, where she lost in the first round to Karolina Muchova. She had been scheduled to compete at the US Open later that year but withdrew before the tournament.

Explaining her decision, Konta said: “There’s a lot of highs, a lot of lows, a lot of different emotions that come with being an elite sports person. So for me, it was just important to give myself the space and the time to let emotions settle, let feelings settle. And I felt like I would just know when I was ready.”

She added: “I would love to still play on the biggest stages in the world and play at my best so it’s not at all that I don’t want to do that. It’s just that … I don’t have the energy any more. It’s quite a nice place to leave it. I finished playing the sport, still loving the sport. I don’t think there is much more that I can ask of myself.”

Reflecting on her journey, she said: “It was not straightforward, it was not simple, it was not written in the stars. It was earned and it was hard fought for. I feel very, very proud of myself and for the people around me who were with me on this journey.”

Konta concluded with a message of encouragement: “I’m probably the poster child of somebody who carved out a career for them when all evidence pointed that it was not going to happen. I think if I can give any hope, motivation or inspiration to anyone who ever felt they were too old or not talented enough or overlooked, anything along those lines, I think I would feel very happy with that.”

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