Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Konta eases into the third round
JOHANNA Konta declared satisfaction with her performance in overcoming Aleksandra Krunic i n the second round of t he Nature Valley International.
In her home town of Eastbourne, she was rarely under threat during the process of securing a 6-1 6-3 victory that means she later today meets world No 2 Caroline Wozniacki.
Defeat by Krunic at last year’s US Open is widely thought of as the start of Konta’s surprising decline in fortunes.
However, the win gave her cause for f uture optimism having also been influenced by her decision to play with greater aggression.
Konta reached the semi-finals in Eastbourne 12 months ago before her withdrawal with a back injury.
Krunic also struggled after hurting her thigh while slipping into the net during the first set, and the Briton said: “I was just happy I played quite a consistent match.
“How I wanted to play my points and construct them was quite clear. I kept sticking to that even when it didn’t go my way.
“It was quite tricky out there, it was pretty gusty, and she can play well on this surface. I’m happy I was able to keep my level.
“I’m definitely looking to move forward a bit more. This surface can accentuate it a bit. I’m looking to take advantage of that side of my game.
“It’s something I can do well and, the more I do it, the better I will end up doing it.
“I wasn’t playing her with the memories of the US Open, I was playing her with the intention of what I wanted to do and approached it according to the level of play I wanted.”