Konta berry happy with Australian Open win

Britain's Johanna Konta has demolished American Madison Brengle in the first round of the Australian Open.

Johanna Konta of Great Britain in action

Britain's Johanna Konta has made a winning start to her Australian Open campaign. (AAP)

Berry-mad Brit Johanna Konta is faring much better at Melbourne Park than she is at the supermarket.

The Sydney-born No.9 seed extended her impressive Australian Open overall record to 10-2 on Tuesday with an emphatic 6-3 6-1 opening-round victory over close friend Madison Brengle from the United States.

Konta, 26, again looks right at home in the country of her birth as she chases a maiden major title at a tournament thrown wide open by the absence of seven-time champ Serena Williams.

Ahead of a second-round encounter with American lucky loser Bernarda Pera in predicted searing heat on Thursday, Konta's biggest concern is getting her hands on some of her favourite fruit, having mistakenly left two punnets behind at the supermarket on Monday.

"That's five dollars I won't get back," she joked.

"It's actually more the betrayal in my own mind I feel so upset about.

"I was so sad. Clearly I'm not over the blueberry debacle.

"I'm happy to come through today and I'm just looking forward to playing again on Thursday.

"Now I need to go again to buy more blueberries."

Konta boasts a formidable Melbourne Park record, having reached the semi-finals on her Open debut in 2016 and the quarter-finals last year.

"I love playing here and have had some of the best results of my career here," she said.

Konta is Britain's best chance of success in Melbourne in 2018 as Andy Murray is missing the Open for the first time in 13 years as he recovers from hip surgery.


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Source: AAP



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