Johanna Konta calls premature end to season after knee injury

Johanna Konta has brought her season to a premature end because of a knee injury.

The British number one has not played since losing to Elina Svitolina in the US Open quarter-finals in early September.

Her latest withdrawal is from the Elite Trophy in Zhuhai next week, a second-tier end-of-season event for those top-20 players who missed out on a spot at the WTA Finals.

It is a disappointing end to a brilliant season for Konta, who began the year ranked 39 and is currently sitting 11th after reaching the last eight at both the US Open and Wimbledon and playing her third grand slam semi-final at the French Open.

Konta's development on clay was the biggest surprise, with the 28-year-old also reaching the final of the Italian Open in Rome on what had previously been by some way her weakest surface.

She will hope to pick up where she left off by pushing into the top 10 next season.