Victorious Victoria
> Azarenka claimed her biggest win of her comeback as Nishikori, Konta sweat
NEW MUM Victoria Azarenka continued her comeback bid for Wimbledon glory yesterday as Kei Nishikori and Johanna Konta ground out victories to reach the third round.
Former world No. 1 Azarenka, playing her first Grand Slam tournament since giving birth to first child Leo in December, knocked out Russian 15th seed Elena Vesnina.
The 2012 and 2013 Australian Open champion, in her fourth match back, won 6-3, 6-3, taking her record over the Russian to 8-0 without dropping a set.
The Belarusian, 27, could become the first mother to win the Wimbledon singles since Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1980.
“Travelling is a little stressful for me, travelling with a baby. I want to make sure that everything is okay. But overall, it’s just great. It’s really fun that I’m able to go home and spend time with my son,” she said.
Azarenka next faces British wildcard Heather Watson who also upset the form book. The world No. 102 downed Latvian 18th seed Anastasija Sevastova in straight sets.
British sixth seed Konta reached the Wimbledon third round for the first time with a marathon 7-6 (8/6), 4-6, 10-8 win over Donna Vekic which left her opponent in tears.
Konta and Watson’s victories made it the first time that two British women have reached the last 32 at their home Grand Slam since Jo Durie and Anne Hobbs in 1986.
Nishikori dug deep to keep his Wimbledon hopes alive as the Japanese ninth seed ground out a 6-4, 6-7 (7/9), 6-1, 7-6 (8/6) win over Ukrainian qualifier Sergiy Stakhovsky.
Despite reaching at least the quarterfinals of the other three Grand Slams, Nishikori has never been beyond the fourth round at Wimbledon.
He next faces Spanish 18th seed Roberto Bautista Agut who ousted German qualifier Peter Gojowczyk. France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the 12th seed, made short work of Italian qualifier Simone Bolelli in the sizzling heat, winning in straight sets.
Fans shielded their faces from the sun with towels, programmes and napkins as temperatures reached 29 degrees Celsius. Tsonga was one of several players bothered by an invasion of flying ants.
“That was strange... it was in my nose and in my ear,” he said.
Gilles Muller won a gruelling five-set encounter with Czech qualifier Lukas Rosol. The 16th seed from Luxembourg won the decider 9-7.
US 24th seed Sam Querrey and Britain’s Aljaz Bedene also won their second round matches.
In a later game yesterday, defending champion Andy Murray stormed into the Wimbledon third round with a ruthless 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 demolition of Dustin Brown.
Murray needed only 96 minutes to see off the dreadlocked German on Centre Court as he underlined his return to fitness following a nagging hip injury.
Next up for world No. 1 Murray is a clash with Italian 28th seed Fabio Fognini. – AFP