Johanna Konta survives testing clash to make round three in Miami

25 March 2017 02:38

Johanna Konta survived a scare against qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich to reach the third round of the Miami Open.

The British number one raced through the opening set but lost the second on the tie-break before she recovered her composure to close out a 6-2 6-7 (5/7) 6-4 victory in two hours and 40 minutes.

The Belarussian was broken in the fifth game of the opening set and the 10th-seeded Konta then went on to win five games in a row on her way to comfortably wrapping up the first set.

And she broke again after a brief rain delay to lead 4-2 and appeared to be set for a relatively straightforward passage into round three.

But Konta lost her concentration and was broken back and then had to save more break points as Sasnovich rallied strongly.

The rain returned in the tie-break with Sasnovich 4-2 up and after a 30-minute break the Belarussian closed out the tie-break 7-5 to level the match.

Konta broke in the deciding set for a 3-2 lead and served out to wrap up victory in a testing encounter.

Source: PA