HOT Wimbledon favourite Johanna Konta is rapidly becoming the poster girl of her adopted home town.

The people of Eastbourne have grown to adore the world number seven, who has come to prominence at this year’s British grand slam – but she does not give much away in front of a camera.

The Argus scoured the town dubbed “the Sunshine Coast” to find out what the 26-year-old is really like and what people think of her.

Our first stop was the Devonshire Park tennis club, one of the oldest clubs in the country and one where she is held in extremely high esteem.

Konta, who on Tuesday became the first British woman to make the Wimbledon semi-finals since 1978, is an honorary lifetime member at the club.

“Loyalty is something very important to Jo,” said Ken Pollock, chairman of the Devonshire Park club.

“She represents Eastbourne so well. Although she is away a lot, Jo has said to me that she regards Eastbourne as home.

“Most people only see Jo when she’s at work. When she’s not, she’s an extremely amazing person to be around.

“She’s very witty and has a great sense of humour, but you don’t get to see that when she’s on a tennis court.”

Born in Australia to Hungarian parents, Konta moved to Eastbourne aged 15 after training at the prestigious Sanchez Casal academy in Barcelona.

The tough training sessions in Spain seem to have helped shape her into a driven individual, an essential trait for her sport.

Mr Pollock said: “Jo is a very focused and thoughtful person, she knows what she wants and has trained hard to get to the level she’s at, especially fitness-wise. I think that showed against Simona Halep in the quarter finals. She really came to the fore.”

Mr Pollock, who presented Konta with her lifetime membership two years ago, feels honoured to have her associated with the club and could not speak more highly of her.

He said: “I’ve never known anyone to have a bad word to say about her. She is very mindful of everything and an absolutely lovely person.”

Despite her climb to the top of the tennis ladder, Konta is not the typical well-known, household face that you associate with most athletes.

And despite putting Eastbourne on the map with her on-court success, some people did not even know who Konta was – and still did not recognise her after being shown a picture.

She became a British citizen in 2012 and began representing the country from then on.

One man who has known her since she began her climb from number 203 back in 2012 is Ferenc Adam, who shares Hungarian heritage with Konta.

Mr Adam, 39, is the owner of Eucalyptus and Paprika tea house in South Street, Eastbourne, somewhere Konta visits whenever she is back in the town she loves.

He said: “Jo is a beautiful, lovely lady. In the whole time I’ve known her she has never changed the way she acts.

“She’s not someone who wants the fame. She’s very down to earth and is just a really nice person.”

Mr Adam feels the two share a special relationship through their Hungarian ties and when she visits they talk in their native tongue.

“She is a very intelligent woman, and I hope we will be friends for a long time,” he said.

“I told her she never has to pay for anything when she comes here.”

Those are the thoughts of the people who know Konta personally.

But what do other residents of Eastbourne think of British tennis’s new golden girl?

Margaret Stearman and her husband Geoffrey, both 89, think she has been a breath of fresh air.

She said: “It’s so wonderful to see her doing well. She’s the best British women’s tennis player at the moment, and to have her playing like this at the same time Andy Murray is doing so well is amazing.”

Mr Stearman said: “She is something new and a very special woman.

“It’s nice to have someone from Eastbourne up there.”

Konta has gone from strength to strength after a breakthrough 2015 where she made the top 50 after reaching the fourth round of the US Open.

In 2016 she reached the semis of the Australian Open and won the Stanford Classic, beating her next opponent, Venus Williams, in doing so.

Konta’s parents still live in Eastbourne, and she has been spotted walking around the Sovereign Harbour when she is back in town.

We spoke to Sarah Dutton at the harbour, where Konta reportedly has a flat.

Ms Dutton, 41, has two children who play tennis.

She said: “Konta is such an inspiration, particularly for my 11-year-old daughter. She loves her.

“She feels she has a connection with her. Every day when she comes home she puts the television on to see how she is doing.

“Konta is a great role model for young people – she’s gone from nowhere to somewhere. She’s very personable when we’ve seen her play at Eastbourne as well.”

NOW SHE FACES VENUS

JOHANNA KONTA’S journey to the Wimbledon semi-finals has not been a straightforward one.

The world number seven had to fight from behind to overcome second seed Simona Halep to become the first British woman since Virginia Wade in 1978 to make this stage of the competition.

She is now in with a huge chance of winning the women’s singles event.

Konta, 26, was pushed all the way by France’s Caroline Garcia in the preceding round, but overcame her to win 2-1.

Up next for Konta is the legendary Venus Williams, someone she has beaten before, and she goes into the match as slight favourite.

The Eastbourne girl has the chance to become the first British winner of Wimbledon’s women’s singles since Wade won in 1977 at the All England Club.