Johanna Konta powers into Miami Open second round, but no luck for Victoria Azarenka

Michael Graham
Johanna Konta at Miami Open

Johanna Konta is safely into the second round of the Miami Open but fellow-former winner Victoria Azarenka has crashed out.

Konta, who is still the British number one despite a wretched yet in 2018, lost her opening service game but still had far too much class for qualifier Jessica Pegula.

The 2017 winner produced some flashes of magic before securing a routine 6-1, 6-4 win to set up a second-round clash with Chinese number 18 seed Wang Qiang.

Azarenka had a much tougher time of it, losing in straight sets to 19th seed Caroline Garcia.

“You don’t really have a choice against someone like Azarenka,” Garcia told reporters after her 6-3, 6-4 win.

“Maybe she’s not playing as she was when she was number one, but she’s a great player.

“I saw the match when she played against Serena [Williams] in Indian Wells, it was a very impressive match from both of them.

“I have to play my best, and that’s what I’m trying to do when I play against her.

“It was a two-set match, but it was really tight, I think. It was just turning around a few points.”

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