Konta beats Wozniacki to claim Miami Open title

Johanna Konta's days of diligence in obscurity are numbered after the 25-year-old Briton won the most prestigious title of her career on Saturday at the Miami Open with a straight sets win over the former world number one Caroline Wozniacki.

Johanna Konta will rise to a career high world number seven following her triumph at the Miami Open. Reuters/Geoff Burke

Konta will rise to a career high world number seven on Monday following her patient and dominant display over the Dane.

The 10th seed edged the first set 6-4 and kept her composure to take the second 6-3 to secure her first premier mandatory tournament – an event which ranks second in kudos after the season’s four Grand Slams.

On the eve of the clash against Wozniacki, Konta acknowledged that the rise of Britain’s Andy Murray’s to the top of the men’s game had attracted most of the attention from the country’s media.

"I think I've always had the belief of wanting to become a Grand Slam champion, wanting to become the best in the world," Konta said after the final.

"I think that stays throughout, with every player I imagine, their career. Without that, I don't think it makes the victories as sweet or, I think, the defeats as motivating. I think that stays.

"Then it's about keeping things simple and working for me," she added. "I just want to work and try to really bring out in myself the most that I have. Wherever that gets me that's where it will get me, but hopefully the day I hang up my racquets I will be able to say that I really maximised my full ability and gave everything inside me."

While the WTA tour has no shortage of players who shone as teenagers and quickly faded, Konta's ascent has been gradual.

"I think as tennis is progressing and becoming more physical development has become later and later," she said. "I wasn't a bad junior either. I got to 11 in the world and I think I've just kept doing what I love - working hard.

"I've been very fortunate that throughout the years I've managed to have some very, very good people around me. I think the more I was able to absorb from them, their knowledge and wisdom, and the more I was able to reinvest that into the matches that I played, and on a consistent basis, I think that's part of reason I'm here now," she said.

For Wozniacki, the defeat extended a miserable run in finals this season. The 26-year-old has lost showdowns in Dubai and Doha. "I was hoping it was going to be third time lucky in my third final but we will go for the fourth one," she said.

"I think I can take a lot out of this first part of year and just build on it. That's what I'm going to do. I'm going to learn from the things that I can do better, but at the same time not beat myself up too much and just keep working and doing what I'm doing."