The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Konta hits cruise control as Watson crashes out
Johanna Konta began her Australian Open campaign in comfortable fashion with a 6-3 6-1 victory over American Madison Brengle.
The ninth seed has a fine record at Melbourne Park, having reached the semi-finals and quarter-finals the last two years and is one of a whole raft of contenders for the women’s title.
Konta made a few too many errors in the opening set but grew convincingly into the match and was simply far too good for her 90th-ranked opponent.
The 26-year-old, who next faces another American in lucky loser Bernarda Pera, said: “I’m very happy with that match. I knew it was going to be tough – she gets a lot of balls back.
“I’m very happy I was able to stick to the style of play I wanted out there. I love playing here and I’ve had some of the best results of my career here.”
Konta will be strongly fancied to beat Pera – but the biggest obstacle could be the weather, with a forecast heat wave set to send temperatures soaring into the high 30s.
Konta, though, who spent her formative years in Australia, is confident she will not let conditions affect her.
She said: “I think I take it in my stride. I know it’s a part of it. Everyone who comes here know that it’s going to happen at one point or another.”
British No 2 Heather Watson was unable to join Konta in the second round.
Watson did not get on to court for her clash with Yulia Putintseva until the evening and it was the Kazakh who emerged victorious, winning a very tight contest 7-5 7-6 (8/6).
Watson arrived in Melbourne full of confidence after a run to the semi-finals of the Hobart International but knew exactly what to expect from a match against Putintseva, one of the feistiest players on tour.
This result was all the more disappointing because of the encouraging form Watson has shown at the start of 2018, and she will now head to the WTA tournament in St Petersburg before teaming up with Konta in Fed Cup.
Former world No 1 Maria Sharapova defeated Tatjana Maria 6-1 6-4 in her first match at the Australian Open since the failed drugs test two years ago that rocked the sport.
2016 champion Angelique Kerber beat fellow German Anna-lena Friedsam 6-0 6-4, but things were much less comfortable for world No 1 Simona Halep who was made to work for a 7-6 (7/5) 6-1 win over 17-year-old Australian wild card Destanee Aiava.
There were also wins for top-10 players Garbine Muguruza and Karolina Pliskova, but Petra Kvitova was beaten 6-3 4-6 10-8 by Andrea Petkovic.