Johanna Konta has had her ups and downs on her way to the top of women’s tennis.

The British number one has reached three Grand Slam semi-finals and been ranked as high as fourth in the world rankings, but it’s not been all plain sailing for the 30-year-old.

Speaking on the High-Performance podcast, Konta revealed her winning mindset growing up, the one time she gave up in competition and how all that led to the pinnacle of playing on centre-court at Wimbledon.

Competitive nature

Konta remembers when she first began learning to play tennis on synthetic grass courts. Even back then there was a natural desire to win and the Brit remembers trying as hard as she could to win every match she played.

“I just remember wanting to win and wanting to beat the other person and come out the victor. I think that's what fueled me,” she admits.

This mentality transcended into all aspects of life, not just tennis. Konta used to wake up at 5am in the morning and race her dad up a hill. Sometimes she’d lose, while other times her dad would let her win.

Looking back the tennis star laughs at how she thought she could really beat her 30-year-old dad up a hill at the age of 10.

“I’m like to him, ‘did you let me win’ and he’s like ‘of course’. I felt so betrayed,” she jokes.

“I Still to this day think ‘why did I think for a moment actually think that a 10-year-old girl can beat her dad’, [but] I really thought I did.”

Never giving up

Though she had an innate competitive nature, there were times when Konta struggled with having her life consumed by tennis.

She recalls a time when she was at a friend's house and had a tournament to play. Konta was tired and nervous and ended up faking a stomach bug and giving up in her first match.

To this day, the Brit remembers her dad’s reaction, who told her she should never simply “give up.” After crying for “maybe like an afternoon”, Konta begged her dad for another chance and from that moment she never looked back.

“I just remember that moment when I was a young girl and why I should never give up, and why I should never just throw in the towel and leave.”

The thrill of Wimbledon

From running up hills, to learning that the power to succeed was in her own hands. All these moments led to Konta eventually turning professional and playing on the biggest stage.

Having reached the last four of the Australian Open in 2016 and the quarter-finals of the Olympics that same year, it was 2017 which proved to be a year to remember.

The Brit reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon and had the entire nation willing her on. While there were obviously nerves, Konta remembers the situation actually felt quite normal.

“I remember kind of looking up in the stands and just looking at my boyfriend there and thinking, ‘well, actually after this, we'll go home and you'll still love me’.I think that's why it's actually so much better than what you dream of because it's just normal.”

Konta’s run to the Wimbledon semis in 2017 was one of many inspiring British performances at the All England Club.

Here’s a look at the top five British women to have featured in the competition: