Johanna Konta continued her revenge tour of SW19 by beating another familiar adversary in the Croatian Donna Vekic.
Just three weeks after losing to the 21-year-old in the final of the Nottingham Open, the British No1 emerged the victor from a three hour and 10 minute classic on Centre Court to reinforce her title credentials.
Heather Watson’s victory earlier in the day means two British women are through to the third round of Wimbledon for the first time since Anne Hobbs and Jo Durie in 1986.
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At the net, Vekic sobbed as Konta consoled her, so draining was the thrilling match on both players. The draw had already pitted Konta against Hsieh Su-wei, who knocked her out of the French Open and she came through that in straight sets. It was less straightforward against Vekic, whose ranking of 58 belies an enormous talent. But Konta’s mental strength, as much as anything, saw her win 7-6 (4), 4-6, 10-8.
The pair, not friends but certainly friendly, shared a joke in the corridor of the All England Club as they prepared to be introduced to Centre Court. Konta is a familiar face to Vekic, who spent much of her teenage years being coached by Britain’s David Felgate and as a result spent countless hours a week at the National Tennis Centre just outside London. But when play began it was fierce, frenetic and a great advert for the often maligned women’s game.
The pair arrived on a sweltering Centre Court with very different career trajectories behind them. While top-level success came later in life to Konta, who won her first tour title in 2016, Vekic was a child prodigy. She reached her first tour final aged 16 and won her first WTA title a year later.
As sponsors and big name managers flocked to her side, form deserted her and a tough few years followed. But in recent months Vekic has found her way again and that second career WTA title in Nottingham appears to have given her an injection of confidence.
The first set was evidence of that soaring confidence as she traded blows with sixth seed Konta from the baseline and had two set points. But 26-year-old Konta gritted out that game to take it to a tie break which she won 7-4, with Vekic hitting a backhand long on the final point.
At the start of the second set, Konta had to fight off a swarm of flying ants. She was less effective repelling Vekic, who broke in the opening game and served nervelessly to even up proceedings.
There was a seven minute interval between the second and third sets as both players took comfort breaks with Vekic attempting to ward off the effects of 30 degree temperatures with an ice towel.
Both players served as if freezing water ran through their veins in the final set. As Vekic served to stay in the match at 7-6 and 15-15, Konta slipped, landing on her side. There were several nervy seconds as she gingerly got to her feet and held her wrist. But there seemed to be no ill effects.
It remained too close to call until the final moment with Konta twice getting to 0-30 on the Vekic serve. She saw one match point evaporate but on the second, the Croatian netted Konta’s return and dissolved into tears.
Wimbledon: Johanna Konta beats Donna Vekic in three-hour epic to make it into the third round for the first time
Johanna Konta won an exhausting epic first up on Centre Court today to reach the third round of Wimbledon for the first time in her career.
Konta and Croatian youngster Donna Vekic played for more than three hours in the draining sun. Konta took the first set, Vekic the second before the home favourite eventually edged over the line 10-8 in the third.
It was a thrilling back-and-forth match, in which each of the three sets could have gone the other way. It was an long slog in the lunch-time heat, through a swarm of flying ants. And it was surely the best match of the ladies’ singles here so far.
From the start of the first set, just after 1pm, the pace was relentless and it hardly let up until it ended just before 4.20pm.
The crucial break in the decisive set came in the 18th game, as Konta found extra energy from somewhere to take her away from Vekic. The Croat saved the first match point with an ace but at the second she could only find the net. Konta celebrated with glee and relief, and a real sense that she can go far.
It all could have gone very different had Konta not dug in to turn around the first set hours before. It was the lively Vekic who broke her first to go 5-3 up. Vekic was looking just too sharp and forced her way to two set points. Konta furiously saved them and broke back, to the roar of the Centre Court crowd.
Konta nearly edged ahead at 5-5 but missed four break points and the first set ended up in a tie break. At the end of a set of missed chances and swinging momentum, the tie break was much the same, but Konta pushed ahead and won it 7-4.
After 67 minutes of draining tennis, the second set was even more topsy-turvy. It began with three breaks in the first five games, and there was almost a fourth, but Vekic held. From there the Croatian started to pull away and when she had the chance to serve for the set, she just about held her nerve.
By this point Konta and Vekic were tiring and the third set could never have been as fast as the first two were. The match started to go predictably with serve and the upsets of the second set felt far away. There were barely any moments where a break felt likely, although one miscued Konta smash in the sixth game could have opened an opportunity up.
It was in the 13th game of the epic final set when we saw the first break point, which Vekic worked so hard for, but even then Konta dug in, found some power from somewhere and got through. Four games, another anxious moment, another Vekic break point, but Konta saved again to go 9-8 up. The next game was when the break finally came, sending Konta through.
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