Johanna Konta has set her sights on becoming the world No.1 after making history as the first British woman to win the Miami Open.

The 25-year-old from Eastbourne defeated former world No.1 Caroline Wozniacki 6-4 6-3 on Saturday to move to a career-high seventh in the world rankings – beating her previous best of ninth last autumn.

Now she is determined to keep moving up the rankings following a historic victory which Konta believes has been a long time in the making despite her stellar rise from world No.146 in June 2015 to her current lofty position.

She said: “I’d like to be the best player in the world but there’s a lot of work to be done between now and then. “Everybody’s journey is different. I needed a little more time and a little more experience to accumulate the knowledge that I have and re-use it in my matches.

“I play smart tennis and calmer tennis. It just took time. On paper it looks like a quick turnaround but it’s been a long time coming.”

Konta says a combination of life experience both on and off the court has made her the force she is now.

She said: “It was probably a combination of everything, but also a question of maturity.

“I needed to go through certain life experiences, not just on court, off court as well, to make me into the competitor that I am, and also the person off court.

“A lot of things go hand and hand when I it comes to sport.

“It’s not just a job. It’s your life. It’s your lifestyle. You have to grow up in a lot of different areas for it to transfer on court as well.”

Konta, who ousted third seed Simona Halep in a marathon quarter-final match, also became the first British woman to win a WTA Premier Mandatory event.

Konta has shrugged off comparisons with Virginia Wade in the wake of the victory, though.

Her success has inevitably drawn comparisons with Wade, who won the Wimbledon title in 1977.

But Konta said: “It does sound quite monumental but winning Wimbledon is a dream and hopefully one day I will get an opportunity to play for such a title.

“But right now I’m happy with the work I was able to put in. It’s a nice bit of history for back home and another great opportunity to promote tennis outside the grass-court months.”

Both women were competing in their first Miami Open final, but, while Wozniacki was seeking her first win of the year, Konta had already won the Apia International in Sydney.

Konta got off to a dream start with a break of Wozniacki’s serve in the first game and then held her own to take a 2-0 lead with an ace.

The Dane held her next service game but called over her father for a coaching session just ten minutes into the match during changeover.

Whatever was said seemed to make a difference as the former world No.1 broke back to level at 2-2.

The duo had a closer battle in the fifth but Konta broke Wozniacki’s serve for the second time to edge back ahead before the next two games went with serve.

Wozniacki pushed her repeatedly to advantage on her next service game before claiming a break which levelled the opening set up at 4-4. Konta hit back quickly though and again broke her opponent before clinching the set.

Woznizcki, 26, took a 2-1 lead in the next set. The Dane received attention and had her right foot and ankle strapped in a medical time-out, but continued with the match, which went with serve to see Wozniacki 3-2 ahead in the second.

Konta held her next serve before breaking Wozniacki and holding again to lead 5-3, putting her one game away from the title.

The pressure was all on Wozniacki’s service game and Konta moved to championship point with a blistering return before claiming the title after a Hawkeye check on her winning lob.