EASTBOURNE – Top seed Caroline Wozniacki recovered from losing the opening set to beat local favourite Johanna Konta and reach the quarter-finals of the Eastbourne grasscourt championships on Wednesday.
After a slow start, the Australian Open champion won 4-6 6-1 6-4 under hot sunshine on Devonshire Park’s centre court.
It was a good day for the title contenders, with fourth seed Angelique Kerber thrashing American Danielle Collins 6-1 6-1 to set up a clash with seventh seed Daria Kasatkina, who defeated Anastasija Sevastova 6-4 6-4.
Fifth seed Jelena Ostapenko overpowered Romanian Mihaela Buzanescu 6-1 6-2 and will face Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska, who was given a walkover by former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova after the third seed withdrew with a hamstring injury.
Konta, whose parents live in Eastbourne, broke in the opening game of the match and remained in control in the first set as her winner-count rose with the temperatures.
Wozniacki did not panic, though, and dominated the second set before breaking for a 2-1 lead in the third.
Konta hit back to break the Dane’s serve in the next game, but Wozniacki struck again and closed out an impressive victory to set up a clash with Australian eight seed Ashleigh Barty.
. @CaroWozniacki gets the comeback win over Konta 4-6, 6-1, 6-4!
Sealing her spot in the #NatureValleyClassic quarterfinals! pic.twitter.com/IYpAsj1tRb
— WTA (@WTA) June 27, 2018
“Jo loves the grass. After the first set, I think I got a little bit more of a rhythm and I played better. I was lucky to get it in the end,” Wozniacki said.
In the men’s draw, Andy Murray was in later action against compatriot and second seed Kyle Edmund as the former world number one continued his comeback from a hip injury.