When is Johanna Konta’s first match at the Australian Open? How can I watch?
Find out when to watch the British number one and former Australian Open semi-finalist on the court
Britain’s number one female tennis player Johanna Konta, 27, has recovered from a neck injury that forced her retirement at Sydney International – and she is ready to hit the courts in Melbourne.
Konta reached the semifinals of the Australian Open in 2016 and the quarters in 2017, so will be hoping to emulate her success again this year. She will face Ajla Tomljanovic in the first round. Here’s how you can watch her opening match at the Australian Open…
- How to watch and stream the Australian Open tennis live
- Emotional Andy Murray announces retirement from tennis
- When is Wimbledon 2019?
How can I watch Johanna Konta play live in the Australian Open?
Johanna Konta will play her first round match on Tuesday 15th January. She is first on Court 3 with her match beginning at midnight UK time (11am local time in Melbourne).
The Australian Open will be broadcast live on Eurosport in the UK. If you don’t already have Eurosport on your TV, there’s a cheaper alternative...
With an Amazon Prime subscription, you can gain access to Eurosport for six months for £0.01 using Amazon Channels.
The Eurosport channel is £6.99 per month after those first six months, and an Amazon Prime membership costs £7.99 per month – but it can be accessed with a 30-day free trial.
In order to access the Eurosport Player direct, it will cost £9.99 per month or £59.88 a year. There is also a seven-day free trial on offer at the beginning of your subscription – however the Australian Open runs over a fortnight, so if you choose to start with the free trial you’ll still need to pay to watch the whole competition.
For those seeking a more versatile option – you could subscribe to the TVPlayer PLUS Lite package for £6.99. This allows you to watch both Eurosport 1 and 2 channels, as well as several others.
Highlights of the tournament will be shown on the BBC if you’re just after the best bits. Matches with British players are expected to feature prominently in the Beeb's selected highlights.
Who is Johanna Konta playing in the first round of the Australian Open?
Konta will go up against Ajla Tomljanovic in the first round – both players are unseeded.
Tomljanovic beat Konta in Brisbane earlier this month, but this has not deterred the British player: “I think it’s a great opportunity for me to play someone I’ve just lost to, who played very well and for me to try to do better, to immediately learn from how that match went,” she told The Guardian.
Konta can take some comfort from the fact she beat Tomljanovic at the same tournament in 2018.
Who is Ajla Tomljanovic?
The 25-year-old Croatian-born Australian player turned pro in 2009 and is ranked 45th in the world. She is yet to make it beyond the fourth round of any of the Grand Slam tournaments but will have an advantage in Melbourne with the home crowd on her side.
What is Johanna Konta’s current ranking?
Konta is the world number 38, having dropped considerably since July 2017 when she was ranked 4th.
How did Johanna Konta do in last year’s Australian Open tournament?
Konta made it no further than the 2nd round in the Australian Open 2018. She fared much better in previous years, having made it to the quarter-finals in 2017 and the semi-finals in 2016 when she was knocked out by Angelique Kerber.
The Australian Open takes place from Monday 14th January, concluding with the men’s final on Sunday 27th January
