Johanna Konta feels her game is exactly where she wants it to be ahead of next week’s Australian Open despite her defeat in the first round of the Sydney International.

The British number one went into this week’s tournament in Sydney as the defending champion, but she was beaten 6-3, 7-5 by Agnieszka Radwanska in what was a repeat of last year’s final.

That loss came off the back of Konta withdrawing from the recent Brisbane International due to a hip injury, but the 26-year-old is happy with how she has recovered from that problem and she believes she is in the best possible shape ahead of the opening Grand Slam of 2018.

“I felt I recovered a lot quicker than I anticipated, which is a massively positive thing,” Konta told BBC Sport.

“I think I’m right where I should be, coming off the end of last year.

I’m happy again with the different kind of players that I’ve played so I feel good going into Melbourne – as good as I can feel.”

Konta is expected to be the tenth seed at the Australian Open and she will have fond memories of competing in Melbourne, as she reached the semi-finals of the event in 2016 and the quarters last year.

The Australian born ace will be hoping to build on that impressive record at this year’s event and she is priced at 17.00 to go all the way and win what would be her first Grand Slam title.