Johanna Konta saved money by crashing in spare rooms... now she stands to win £275k at Wimbledon

Brit watch: Konta faces Garcia in the fourth round on Monday
PA

Johanna Konta was today aiming for a £275,000 payday by winning a place in the Wimbledon quarter-finals.

But friends recalled how she was a “down to earth” pizza and ice cream-loving teenager — who had to crash in players’ spare rooms because she was so short of money.

The 26-year-old, who was born in Australia to Hungarian parents, did not receive national funding until later in her career because she did not get her British passport until 2012.

Justin Sherring, her former coach at Weybridge Tennis Academy, said it meant money in her developing years was tight.

It meant sleeping in fellow Academy members’ spare rooms after being dropped off at the Surrey training centre by her hotelier father, Gibor, who would drive up from the family home in Eastbourne. Mr Sherring, now a family friend, said: “At the time she was about 250 in the world rankings.

“She did get some small funding from the LTA but not on the same level as some other top British girls like Laura Robson or Heather Watson.

“Money was probably running out. We would always find her someone local like a member of the club to stay overnight with. I think she probably did better than ‘sofa surf’ in Weybridge, it was more en-suites and spare bedrooms.”

Konta was facing France’s Caroline Garcia in the first match on Court One today as she continued her bid to become the first British ladies champion at Wimbledon since Virgina Wade in 1977.

Mr Sherring said despite being a “very normal” girl, Konta was destined for success: “She had such a great attitude and it’s deserved that it’s had such a happy ending.

Wimbledon 2017 - In pictures

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“I never had any doubt she would make it to Wimbledon.

“She liked her pizza and she liked her ice cream, that’s what I remember. She was a very normal girl but had this toughness and ferociousness.”

Meanwhile, Andrew Fitzpatrick, a member of her coaching team, said Konta’s new hobby of baking had started “randomly” in recent weeks. He said: “She really just randomly started baking these weeks.

“She is enjoying testing out her new baking skills. She is teaching herself and enjoying that process as well ... It’s just a little thing she decided to do at home in her apartment since she has the opportunity to.”

He said Konta was “well prepared” for today’s match.

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