"It's heartbreaking as a tennis player but it makes sense"
Wednesday 1 April 2020 19:59, UK
A "heartbroken" British No 1 Johanna Konta says that organisers made the "right decision" to cancel Wimbledon due to the coronavirus crisis.
The All England Club cancelled the tournament on Wednesday, the first time since World War II that the oldest Grand Slam tennis tournament will not be played.
Wimbledon was scheduled to take place from June 29 to July 12, but the final decision was made at an emergency board meeting, with the inevitable outcome reached.
Konta, who reached the semi-finals in 2017, said she had hoped the two-week long grass-court event would go ahead, but realised the decision to cancel it was the right call in the end.
"It's a combination of expecting it and being prepared for it, but at the same time you have that little bit of hope that you hold out for and that was definitely still the case," Konta told Sky Sports' Hannah Wilkes.
"I was still hopeful that maybe it could happen but it's obviously the right decision. Everybody's health and safety is the priority at the moment. It's all the fans and the people that work at the Championships, to the players, it's important to make sure everybody stays safe.
"It's heartbreaking as a tennis player but it makes sense as a normal person, I think."
Konta admits suffering from a degree of anxiety with no tennis to focus on and being confined to her apartment during the pandemic.
She said: "My days are going to be very similar until we get the all clear and I can actually go back and train on court. For now I'm in the fortunate position that I've got some equipment here in my living room currently taking up the majority of the space, but at least I've got something to train with and to try and get some sessions in.
"Equally I'm fortunate to have a fitness trainer who I'm very close to and has been a part of my team for years who I'm in contact with and a physio as well. We try and make the most of this situation. I'm certainly one of the more fortunate ones who can be able to stay active at home."
World No 14 Konta suffered from a knee injury which curtailed the latter stages of 2019 before making a decent start to this year by reaching the semi-finals of the Monterrey Open in Mexico.
"I was hoping to continue to build on that [semi-final] performance where I had four matches under my belt and continue to build that tolerance in my knee and help my body being able to withstand back-to-back matches," added the 28-year-old.
"It's something I'm unable to do now, but nobody does and outside of the tennis world there are a lot more people in difficult and tough situations so I'm not keen on feeling too sorry for myself because I've got a lot to be grateful for.
"There's definitely some disappointment and sadness at not being able to do what I love and what I was hoping to do. I am firmly in a boat with billions of people right now."
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