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21 - 29 June 2019

Nature Valley International

Devonshire Park

Local time

Nature Valley International: Konta advances to third round

  • 2019 WTA Premier logo
  • ATP 250 logo
  • 25/06/2019

  • Major Events

Johanna Konta spearheaded the British charge on Centre Court at the Nature Valley International on Tuesday, winning her second round match against Maria Sakkari 6-4, 7-6(4). 

The 14th seed, Konta trailed Sakkari 3-5 in the second set, but recovered to clinch the win in an hour and 37 minutes, saying: "I'm very pleased to come through that – there was so little in it and in both sets. 

"Our points actually felt that she was playing better than me, so I was just really pleased that I was able to stay with her and create a few opportunities and take a few of them. It could have easily gone to a third set, so I definitely wasn't taking anything for granted out there. I'm just pleased to have kept a good perspective and just competed well."

Konta will take on Ons Jabeur in the first match on Court 1 on Wednesday, after the Tunisian beat Mandy Minella 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 in their second round clash.

British No.2 Cameron Norrie showed impressive fight to beat Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 7-6(4), saving a set point at 5-6 in the second set, before going on to clinch the win on his first match point opportunity. 

Norrie's win sets up an all-British second round clash against Kyle Edmund, who's seeded third at Eastbourne, in the third match on Centre Court. 

​Dan Evans showed impressive fighting spirit to beat eighth  seed Radu Albot. He faced ten break points during the opening set, saving nine of them and eventually clinching the set in a tie-break. He secured two breaks in the second serve to run out the winner, 7-6(2), 6-2, and advance to a second round match against Pierre-Hugues Herbert.

"I was a bit lethargic at the start, but I got going and I'm pretty happy with the end of that match," said Evans. "It's a great week for me here to try and get some points on the board again."   

Qualifier James Ward and wild card Jay Clarke both lost hard-fought first round matches. Ward fell to fellow qualifier Thomas Fabbiano 2-6, 6-3, 6-1 after leading by a set and 4-3 on serve. Clarke also won the opening set before conceding to Juan Ignacio Londero 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3.

Fourth seed and reigning Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber beat Samantha Stosur 6-4, 6-4 in the second round, saying: "It's nice to being back here, having another good match on grass before Wimbledon. I like to play here on grass, so I try to enjoy every match and every moment right now."

Meanwhile, sixth seed Simona Halep recorded a comprehensive 6-2, 6-0 victory over Su-Wei Hsieh, and 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko battled through a shaky start to upset seventh seed Sloane Stephens 1-6, 6-0, 6-3.

Caroline Wozniacki continued her title defence on Tuesday with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Andrea Petkovic, to set up a third round assignment against Aryna Sabalenka on Wednesday. "I'm just happy to be through I was starting to get a little tired there in the end so I was pleased to finish it off," said Wozniacki. "I played (Sabalenka) here in the finals last year so it's going to be a tough match, but I'm looking forward to it."

In the men's doubles, tournament top seeds Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah beat Andy Murray and Marcelo Melo 6-2, 6-4 in what Murray described as a "tricky" match. 

"Playing a match within 40 hours of finishing (at Queen's) is quite a quick turnaround," said Murray. "Conditions here very different conditions to Queen's court. It's really slow out there. They returned extremely well, both of them, off both of our serves and it made it tough for both of us."

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