Konta upstages Keys to advance to second round

BRISBANE: Johanna Konta (pic) opened her season with a tough 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 win over US Open finalist Madison Keys at the Brisbane International.

Fifth-seeded Konta entered the Australian Open tune-up tournament after losing her last four matches in 2017, including a first-round exit at the US Open.

After dropping the first set, Konta hit form quickly and had decisive service breaks early in the second and third sets before clinching it on her second match point, breaking Keys’ serve to finish off in just over two hours.

“To get the chance to play such a high-quality match so early on is only a good thing to me,” Konta said yesterday.

“And to be able to come through in a three-set match as well and to get that much court time, it’s a good thing.”

Keys, playing just her second match since her career-best run at the US Open, had 11 aces and hit 37 winners but made 38 unforced errors and in humid conditions on Pat Rafter Arena.

“It was good tennis today – I haven’t played a match in four months, so it’s like a win for me,” Keys said. “I played really well. She played better. I’m not that upset about it.”

In other matches, third-seeded Elina Svitolina opened with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Carla Suarez Navarro, 2012 champion Kaia Kanepi beat Daria Kasatkina 6-2, 6-2 and qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich ousted No. 6-seeded Kristina Mladenovic 1-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova withdrew from the tournament earlier yesterday because of a viral illness and was replaced in the draw by Heather Watson, who lost 6-0, 6-3 to Anett Kontaveit.

In the men’s event, Mischa Zverev powered past Australian qualifier John-Patrick Smith 6-4, 7-5 to enter the second round.

Local hope Matthew Ebden dumped out Frances Tiafoe with a 6-3, 6-2 victory that set up an all-Australian second round clash with the big-serving Nick Kyrgios.

“Nick has obviously got a great serve,” Ebden said, looking ahead to tomorrow’s match.

“That’s one of his biggest weapons that carried him through well over the past few years, with the upsets and good results that he’s had.”