Britain’s Johanna Konta said she was pleased to progress through to the second round of the US Open after a tricky opening match.
Konta beat Russia’s Daria Kasatkina 6-1 4-6 6-2 to set up a meeting against Margarita Gasparyan in round two with Konta 1.85 to win and Gasparyan 3.80.
The 16th seed in New York, Konta was comfortably on top in the opening set, taking it in just 24 minutes but her Russian opponent rallied in the second and Konta began to produce a number of unforced errors. Disputed line calls also took their toll but Konta recovered in the deciding set and consecutive double faults from Kasatkina handed the match to the British number one.
Konta said afterwards: “I’d lost my last two matches to her and expected a long tough match. That’s what it was and I’m pleased how I managed to adapt.” Though Konta hadn’t won a match since Wimbledon in the run up to the US Open, she had a good tournament at the All England Club, reaching the quarter-finals and that came on the back of a successful clay court season.
She was a semi-finalist at the French Open and said the experience had been a positive one, adding: “It’s the first time, with French and Open and Wimbledon, that I had gone deep into consecutive slams so that was a different situation for me.
“I’ve been enjoying being out here and putting the work in on the practice court so I am as ready as I can be to compete.”
Konta is the only British woman left in the draw after Harriet Dart lost in straight sets to Romanian Ana Bogdan. The 28-year-old is 41.00 to win the US Open with Naomi Osaka 15.00.
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