Johanna Konta is looking forward to a fourth-round match with Petra Kvitova after battling back against ninth seed Sloane Stephens in a captivating Wimbledon comeback.
Konta, who reached the All England Club semi-finals two years ago, delivered one of her best performances of recent years as she fought back from a set down to progress – 3-6 6-4 6-1. American Stephens edged the first set and had the British number one under pressure, but Konta rallied to break serve in the tenth game of the second and now takes on two-time Wimbledon champion Kvitova for a place in the quarter-finals on Monday. “I haven't played Petra Kvitova in a little while and I think I've only beaten her once,” said Konta. “Her favourite surface and her best surface is grass so I'm going to be coming up against a very, very inspired and very tough Petra. “She's also been playing incredibly well in the last couple years and made the finals of Australia this year – I'm looking forward to playing a great champion.” Konta is back among the seeds at Wimbledon this year after a brilliant clay court season that saw her reach the Italian Open final and the last four at Roland Garros, beating Stephens along the way at the French Open. The 28-year-old displayed improved defence both in round one against Ana Bogdan and round two against Katerina Siniakova, but Stephens provided a steeper challenge and surged into a one-set lead. Konta, who also beat the American at the Rome Masters earlier this year, regrouped in the second set and got stronger as the match went on, winning five games in a row at one stage to seal the win. The British number one continued: “It was a really tough match, Sloane is not a Grand Slam champion for no reason so I'm just really pleased to have competed and to have found a way to get myself into the match. “The more opportunities I get to be in the latter stages of Grand Slams, the more experience I gain and that can only bring good things. “I'm really pleased that I've been able to make it to the second week in two successive Grand Slams, I've never been able to do that before.” Harriet Dart was unable to join Konta in progressing as her fairy tale week ended with defeat to world number one Ashleigh Barty. Dart has enjoyed an excellent run at Wimbledon, grabbing the biggest win of her career in the first round and then surpassing it with victory over Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia in the second. But Barty proved a bridge too far on Centre Court and prevailed 6-1 6-1 in a dominant win. “I'm super happy with my performances this week and I think this defeat is such a good learning curve for me,” said British number four Dart. “Not many people can say they’ve played the third round of Wimbledon against the world number one on Centre Court and it was pretty special to be out there.” Sportsbeat 2019