• US Open, Day Two

If you can't breed 'em, import 'em

Johanna Konta hits a backhand © Getty Images

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Judy Murray has a new addition to her Fed Cup stable and this one could be the ace in the pack.

Murray has seen Laura Robson win an Olympic silver medal this year, admittedly in the mixed doubles with her son Andy, while Heather Watson has made big strides. The efforts of Robson and Watson suggest women's tennis in Britain is on the up, but there is every chance that the pair may be eclipsed by a new kid on the block.

That kid is 21-year-old Johanna Konta. "Who?" is a question many will ask and it's a fair comment. It was only two months ago that she secured British citizenship, having been born in Australia to Hungarian parents. But she could soon be a household name, having ensured her US Open debut was a winning one with victory over Timea Babos.

It would be grossly unfair to tag Konta as a 'Plastic Brit' as she moved to the UK in 2005 and has been under the LTA umbrella for a number of years. And it is clearly Britain's gain that Konta views this as her home and fought so hard to ensure she could represent this country.

"It was a long time for me to get citizenship and I am very happy to have it," she said. "We moved her in 2005 and I have been here ever since. I have been supported by the LTA for a number of years and I consider this home now."

Konta is down at 203 in the world and had to battle through three rounds of qualifying. Judging on her wins over higher-ranked opponents in qualifying and the improving Babos, Konta will soon leave that ranking behind. In the win over Babos, she was 5-1 down in the second set and that is a scenario that has seen many British players wave the white flag. But not Konta who steeled herself, kept believing and gained her reward by simply refusing to lie down. In an epic ninth game, Konta saved 10 set points and it was that never-say-die attitude that broke the will of her rival.

World No. 67 Olga Govortsova is up next for Konta and that will be another rise in class. It may be one she fails to overcome, but win or lose she is on her way up and will certainly have given a nudge to Judy Murray who was courtside for her win.

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