Konta toughs it out to seal China quarter-final spot

British number one Johanna Konta endured a gruelling twohour match against Carla Suarez Navarro in the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open before booking her place in the quarter-final.

Konta dug deep in Wuhan, China and was a 7-5, 7-6 (8-6) winner in 129 minutes to increase her chances of making the WTA Finals later this month. With only the leading eight players in the Road to Singapore qualifying, Konta, in 10th, cut the deficit on eighthplaced Suarez Navarro to 246 points.

Konta had to save six set points in the second and reeled off five successive points in a break to take the win in straight sets.

“It definitely was a lot of fun,” she said. “I think I would be in the wrong profession if I didn’t desire to be a part of such matches.

“I enjoy it. It makes me better as a player, as a person, as a competitor. I really enjoyed being on court with her.”

On saving six set points, she added: “I really just tried to be brave and just play the way I wanted to play throughout the whole match, and those points as well.”

Victory set up a quarter-final against Petra Kvitova and Konta will be thrilled by her opponent spending three hours 20 minutes on court in getting past world number one Angelique Kerber.

STRETCHED: Johanna Konta had to save six set points on her way to victory against Carla Suarez Navarro inWuhan