Great Britain's rising star Johanna Konta can be a top-20 player by Wimbledon next year, according to former British number one Anne Keothavong.
Konta began the year ranked 146 in the world, but an incredible six months saw her shoot up to 49 in the latest WTA list announced on Monday.
The 24-year-old came through qualifying at the US Open in August before beating Wimbledon runner-up Garbine Muguruza and Andrea Petkovic, both top-20 players, en route to the last 16.
Her remarkable run in Flushing Meadows was finally ended by Petra Kvitova, but Konta has shown it was no fluke with subsequent wins over Petkovic, Victoria Azarenka, who retired injured, and, most impressively, world number two Simona Halep at the Wuhan Open in China.
The new British number one then came within two points of beating Venus Williams in the quarter-finals only to lose in three sets to the American, who went on to win the tournament.
Konta's surge suggests she can make a major impact at grand slams next year and Keothavong believes a place in the top 20 is not beyond the Sydney-born Briton.
"Johanna Konta has the potential to be a top-20 player, having witnessed the tennis she's played over the last couple of months," Keothavong told the Tennis Podcast.
"I don't think that will happen by the end of the season, it's not possible with the number of tournaments left, but certainly mid next year.
"By Wimbledon, why not? At the start of the year she was ranked 146, but she's already had a number of top-20 wins and came very close to putting out Venus Williams last week.
"I genuinely believe she can do much more."
Konta has always been a capable technician from the back of the court, but anxiety and nerves used to regularly let her down at crucial moments.
To solve the problem she began working with a Spanish 'mental coach', Juan Coto, at the end of last year and the results have been clear to see.
Before her US Open exit, Konta had won 16 consecutive matches and she now has 21 wins in her last 23.
"Knowing the way she is on and off court, she'll admit this, she's quite a highly-strung girl," Keothavong said.
"She really cares about her tennis. She's meticulous and she's a good pro, but sometimes nerves can get the better of you.
"Sometimes maybe she wants it too much and just freaked out at times.
"With Johanna, certain things have to be done in a certain way, but she seems more relaxed, her approach has changed and she's stayed very humble as well.
"She hasn't allowed herself to get over-excited and credit to her for addressing the problems in her mental game and doing something about it. The mental side in tennis these days is so big.
"So many players are capable of hitting great shots but to mentally back yourself and stay calm in the moment, that's the difference between the top players and the rest of the field."
Source: PA
