Konta prevails over Vekic in epic second-round clash

Sixth seed Konta won 7-6 (4), 4-6, 10-8 against Croatia’s Donna Vekic in a tense second-round match. It was a stunning battle of magnificent serving and psychological intensity, the pair dueled for over three hours in the London sunshine. 

It was arguably the clash of the Championships, with the pair trading the first two sets before Vekic, the girlfriend of Stan Wawrinka, was broken in the 18th game of a brutal decider. She survived, held and amid incredible tension, watched a match point at 9-8 come and go and then took the match a moment later when Vekic dumped a forehand into the net. 

Watson matched her best SW19 run with a stunning 6-0, 6-4 win over 18th seed Anastasija Sevastova. 

Watson and Konta’s victories mean they have become the first two British women to appear in the same third-round draw since Jo Durie and Anne Hobbs three decades ago. Konta faces Greece’s 101-ranked Maria Sakkari in the third round. In the men’s draw, fellow Briton Aljaz Bedene won 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 against Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Damir Dzumhur.