Meet Johanna Konta — Aussie Tennis Player Linked To Tom Hiddleston
Is "love" in the air? Lol, oh god I'm so sorry.
Getty If you're anything like me, the world of professional tennis, while vaguely interesting, isn't exactly a world you consider to be rife with drama and sexy intrigue. Well it turns out, my friends, that we were woefully mistaken. You see, now that the U.S. Open is underway and the heaviest hitters in the industry are coming out to compete with each other, the drama has been cranked up a notch and even Hollywood heavyweights are getting in on the action. Who is Johanna Konta? She's England's most impressive tennis player and she's turning heads with her wins and with her rumored new celebrity beau, Tom Hiddleston.
1. The Celeb On The Court
Tongues started wagging on Monday, August 27th when guests at the U.S. Open noticed that there was a star in their midst, and not one of the tennis playing variety either. Observant star hunters were quick to notice that actor Tom Hiddleston was sitting in British tennis player Johanna Konta's box as she won her first round. It got everyone talking — could the two be an item? Johanna is staying mum if it is, saying that the two simply bumped into each other: "Just in New York actually, just literally we crossed paths,” Konta, 28, told reporters. “I did the Good Samaritan thing and said, ‘Don’t bother him, he’s obviously busy,’ and then he actually said, ‘I don’t usually do this but I’m a massive fan,’ and I was like, ‘What, who? Who else is here?’ It was basically that and then we got chatting and he’s super nice and his co-stars came as well and they’re also super nice, so it’s good.”
2. Johanna Konta's Big Win
Johanna, as a professional athlete, is used to living in the spotlight, but ever since the end of July, she's had more eyes than ever on her. That's because on July 31st she beat Serena Williams(at the Silicon Valley Classic. Williams is, of course, the greatest living tennis player. She didn't just beat Serena, she absolutely dominated her. Konta took home the prize in matches that ended with scores of 6-1 and 6-0. Johanna took the win against Williams in stride, saying that she felt humbled even sharing the court with Williams. Regardless, the win put her on everyone's radar.
3. How She Got Her Start
Although Johanna now calls England home, it isn't where she was born. She is originally from Sydney, Australia and she first started playing tennis when she was eight-years-old. Johanna's family moved to the United Kingdom when she was 14-years-old and she continued playing the sport. That said, she didn't get her British citizenship until 2012, which is when she started playing for the country. Johanna, to folks who don't know a lot about tennis, is a standout star because her entire game playing technique is strong.
4. Johanna's Professional Record
In the WTA Tour where Johanna beat Williams, she managed to win 3 total single titles, and that's barely scratching the surface when it comes to listing her accomplishments within the sport. She's won 119 matches in her career and she's played in seven championships. In 2016, Konta, who was ranked as the 150th best player in the world but overnight she sprang up to the top 10, putting England back on the map for tennis. In 2017, she won the Open in Miami and even managed to get to the semifinal in Wimbledon. The longer you look at her career the more you realize she isn't an overnight sensation, she's a hard worker.
5. Life Off The Tennis Court
Of course, there's more to life than tennis, and Johanna has plenty of hobbies that she indulges in when she isn't training, touring or playing. She is a serious foodie with passion for fruits like cherries and watermelon, but that doesn't mean she stays away from some of the best junk food around — pizza and ice cream. She relies on yoga to keep her limbs long and lean and she relishes spending time with her family. She's also pretty damn stylish, and there's evidence of this on her Instagram page where she frequently shows off her hot new looks. Could this be what truly caught Hiddleston's eye?
6. Johanna's Personal Life
So keeping this all in mind, do we buy the story that she and Tom Hiddleston really only met a couple of days before he was spotted at her box at the games? It would be pretty adorable to watch the two of them out and about together, but I'm afraid that I am in the unfortunate position of bursting your proverbial bubbles. You see, last she spoke on the subject, Johanna has been in a pretty serious relationship for quite some time. The man she's dating, Jackson Wade, may not have skyrocketed to fame by playing Thor's brother, but he is a gifted photographer.
Rebecca Jane Stokes is a writer living in Brooklyn, New York with her cats, Batman and Margot. She's an experienced generalist with a passion for lifestyle, geek news, pop culture, and true crime.