Less than a month after recruiting Wim Fissette as her new coach, Johanna Konta has strengthened her entourage with another key appointment. Andrew Fitzpatrick, who coached Naomi Broady last year and has also worked as a hitting partner with Sloane Stephens and Caroline Wozniacki, has joined Konta’s team and will deputise for Fissette when he is absent.

Fitzpatrick, a former player who reached a career-high position of No 461 in the world rankings four years ago, has packed plenty of experience into his fledgling coaching career. The 27-year-old Briton worked under Paul Annacone when the American was coaching Stephens and last year helped Broady enjoy her most successful season.

“For someone so young he has been around for quite a long time,” Konta said after completing a 6-3 6-4 first-round victory over Australia’s Arina Rodionova here at the Sydney International. “We’ve been having a great time together so far.”

Fitzpatrick, who had a trial period working with Konta last month at the National Tennis Centre at Roehampton, will be her hitting partner and will also take charge of her coaching whenever Fissette is unavailable. “They will be giving each other a break from me every now and then,” Konta joked.

Fissette, who has also worked with Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka and Simona Halep, joined Konta’s entourage last month after the world No 10’s surprising split with Esteban Carril. In her first tournament with Fissette last week, Konta reached the semi-finals of the Shenzhen Open in China.

“It’s going really well so far,” Konta said. “He’s really calm and funny and a coach with a lot of knowledge and experience. I’m enjoying learning from him.”

Anne Keothavong, Britain’s new Fed Cup captain, has named Konta alongside Heather Watson, Laura Robson and Jocelyn Rae in her squad to play in Estonia next month. She was here to watch Konta beat Rodionova, the world No 187, and is impressed with the entourage her best player has assembled.

Konta has got off to a strong start at the Sydney International (Getty)

“Wim is very experienced,” Keothavong said. “I’ve had a few conversations with him and I’m sure he’s going to be a great asset to Jo. He’s been around the top players for a while and I’m sure there’s a lot she can learn from him. With Andrew Fitzpatrick as her hitting partner I’m certain they will make a great team.”

Konta said she did not like to compare Fissette with Carril. “My time with Esteban is in the past,” she said. “We did some good work but things obviously need to move forward, so now I’m just focusing on the work that I’m doing with Wim.

“I’m enjoying calling him on court as well when the time is right. I really do listen intently to everything he has to say because I know he has such great experience.”

While most of the top men prefer not to play in a tournament the week before a Grand Slam event, many of the leading women choose to have more competitive play. Konta is one of many women who will have played in both of the opening two weeks of the new season ahead of the Australian Open, which starts next Monday.

Konta was runner-up at last year's China Open (Getty)

“I think I’m still learning a little bit about myself in that sense,” Konta said. “This is basically only my second full year on the tour so it hasn’t been that long. I think I’m figuring out what works for me, but I’m really happy to be here and I’m hoping to take advantage and get in as many matches as possible.”

Playing here has given Konta a taste of what might follow in Melbourne in terms of the weather conditions. The on-court temperature approached 40C as she completed her victory over Rodionova, which earns a second-round meeting on Tuesday with another Russian-born Australian, Daria Gavrilova.

“It was very hot out there,” Konta said afterwards. “It was my first match this year in heat like that and I really felt it, but I enjoy the heat. I’m not afraid of it.”

Konta, who was born here and lived in the city until she was 13, copes well with the heat. “I don’t think anyone in their right mind ever wishes it to be completely boiling, but I think it’s fair to say that if it’s hot I know that I’ll be OK, that I’ll do the right things and that I’ll handle it well,” she said.

Kyle Edmund in action against Matthew Barton of Australia at the Sydney International (Getty)

Britain's Kyle Edmund also had a good first week of the season, reaching the quarter-finals in Brisbane before losing a three-set encounter with Stan Wawrinka, but was unable to build on that in his first match here. Australia’s Matthew Barton, the world No 198, hit 17 aces in beating Edmund 7-6 7-6.

Another Briton, Dan Evans, lost all three of his singles matches at the Hopman Cup in Perth last week but got off to a winning start here, beating Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro 6-3 4-6 6-3 to record his first tour-level victory since the US Open.