Konta sets up winnable third-round clash with Viktoria Kuzmova of Slovakia after fourth seed Kiki Bertens retires due to illness
Thursday 30 May 2019 09:13, UK
British No 1 Johanna Konta recovered from a second-set blip and a deciding-set wobble to defeat the diminutive Lauren Davis and reach the third round of the French Open on Wednesday.
Konta ended her Roland Garros hoodoo by beating Antonia Lottner to reach the second round for the first time
in five attempts on Monday and the 26th seed made it through the third round with a hard-fought 6-3 1-6 6-3 victory against the American.
Konta and Davis have played three times before but never at tour level and not since 2013, when Konta won in three tight sets.
Konta, who has enjoyed a breakthrough clay-court season this year, winning more tour-level matches than in the rest of her career combined, capped by an unexpected run to the final of the Italian Open in Rome last weekend.
Former top 30 player Davis, on the other hand, has dropped down to world No 111, but earned a wild card for this year's tournament in Paris.
She came into the match with heavy strapping on her left leg although she rarely showed signs of a lack of movement in breezy conditions on Court No 1.
Konta has been using more variation under her French coach Dimitri Zavialoff which has finally been paying a dividend. She showed more than a few glimpses of her new-found game by taking advantage of her fifth break point opportunity on Davis' serve before sealing the opening set in the ninth game despite a few nervy moments.
Davis responded in ruthless fashion, though, with the 25-year-old rattling through the second set in 30 minutes to send the contest into a decider.
Former Wimbledon semi-finalist Konta, 28, regrouped and was soon back on track after breaking in a marathon second game before surging into a 5-0 lead and in sight of victory.
But Davis responded by winning the next three games and she had Konta at 0-40 in the next game, too, but the British player showed tremendous grit to win five points in a row and the match.
World No 46 Viktoria Kuzmova is the next opponent in line for Konta after Dutch fourth seed Kiki Bertens, one of the pre-tournament favourites, retired due to illness from her second-round match.
Bertens threw in the towel while trailing 3-1 in the opening set on Court Philippe Chatrier.
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