ZCZC
BSP-06
TENNIS-USA-WTA
Giant-killer Konta into quarters at San Jose WTA
LOS ANGELES, Aug 2, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Johanna Konta followed up her
stunning victory over Serena Williams with another brisk triumph Wednesday,
downing US teenager Sofia Kenin 6-1, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals of the
WTA hardcourt tournament in San Jose.
Konta, who won her first WTA title at this event back in 2016, let-down
after handing 23-time Grand Slam champion Williams the most lopsided defeat
of her career — 6-1, 6-0.
The tournament lost another big name when top-seeded Spaniard Garbine
Muguruza pulled out of the tournament with a right arm injury, hours before
she was to face former world number one Victoria Azarenka for a place in the
quarters.
The Spaniard, bounced from the second round in her title defense at
Wimbledon, had been hoping to rebound on the hard courts of San Jose with the
US Open looming in less than a month.
“I’ve been feeling some pain in my right arm for a couple of days and
realized I am not ready to play the match, so hopefully I can recover for the
next tournaments,” Muguruza said in a statement.
For Konta, however, it was full speed ahead.
The Briton needed just 70 minutes to dispatch Kenin, blasting 20 winners —
including nine aces — with just 13 unforced errors.
Kenin put up a determined defense, but 19 unforced errors proved too much
to overcome and she was unable to convert either of her two break point
opportunities.
Konta, a former world number four now ranked 48th, next faces fourth-seeded
Elise Mertens of Belgium for a place in the semi-finals.
Mertens reached the last eight with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over American wild
card Ashley Kratzer.
In other early second-round action on Wednesday, American Danielle Collins
defeated Vera Lapko of Belarus 6-1, 3-6, 6-1.
Collins next faces either Azarenka or Russian Anna Blinkova, the lucky
loser drafted to replace Muguruza in the draw.
BSS/AFP/MSY/1008 hrs