Johanna Konta shows grit to play US Open but echoes Söderling’s suffering | Kevin Mitchell

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Johanna Konta shows grit to play US Open but echoes Söderling's suffering | Kevin Mitchell

The British No 1 suffers heart palpitations and, in putting glory above health concerns, treads a familiarly risky path in tennis

You have to admire the pluck of Johanna Konta and Serena Williams. Both have heart and respiratory problems that would not only give them an excuse to withdraw from the upcoming US Open in the middle of a pandemic but send them into a full anxiety spin.

Yet, unless circumstances change, they will be in New York when the first ball is struck on 31 August, along with Venus Williams (Sjögren’s syndrome), Danielle Collins (rheumatoid arthritis – which ended Caroline Wozniacki’s career) and scores of others with myriad underlying health problems that could make them vulnerable to coronavirus.

Related: Serena Williams has best chance yet to equal Court’s record at US Open

Related: ‘We’re trying to stay out of the outside world’: the WTA Tour’s new normal | Tumaini Carayol

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