Konta becomes 1st British to win Miami Open title with career-best win over Wozniacki

Johanna Konta’s rise to prominence took another step on Saturday as she secured the biggest title of her career to date by beating Caroline Wozniacki 6-4 6-3 at the Miami Open.

Konta’s first WTA Premier title will send her to a personal-best seventh in the world, with a third career title in the space of 10 months arriving in her fourth final.

With first-round exits from 2016 in Stuttgart, Madrid and Roland Garros to improve upon in the coming weeks, Konta could be set for even greater heights.

The 25-year-old became the first British woman to win the event and her victory was founded on her ability to find the greater quality in the pivotal moments.

After a four-year absence from finals at this level on the WTA Tour, 12th seed Wozniacki was playing her second of 2017 here, but – as in Dubai against Elina Svitolina – the former world number one came away empty-handed.

.@JoKonta91 captures the @MiamiOpen title!

Defeats Wozniacki 6-4, 6-3! pic.twitter.com/GVOF47SOVN

— WTA (@WTA) April 1, 2017

Games were won two-at-a-time by either player as momentum ebbed and flowed, but the pattern played in Konta’s hands as it allowed her to take the opening set – saving two break points as she served out for the lead.

Wozniacki appeared to be troubled by her left foot in the decider as Konta’s power drew the Dane into uncompromising positions and the Brit reeled off the final four games in style to secure a fine win.