Johanna Konta wins Nottingham Battle of Britain against Heather Watson

WTA Tour

Johanna Konta beat Heather Watson in an all-British battle to reach the quarter-finals of the Nature Valley Open in Nottingham.

Windy conditions made for an interesting contest, but Konta came out on top with a 6-4 7-6 (7/5) victory.

“One hundred per cent it was not easy and conditions made it that much harder,” Konta told Eurosport.

“It’s never easy to play a compatriot. I just tried to keep my focus on my side of the court. I feel fortunate to come through, there was very little in it.”

The fourth seed, who will face Slovenia’s Dalila Jakupovic next, will be joined in the last eight by fellow-Brit Katie Boulter after the wildcard entry beat former US Open champion Sam Stosur.

The 21-year-old will play in a WTA Tour quarter-final for the first time following a 7-6 (8/6) 6-1 triumph and is set to break into the world’s top 50.

Boulter said: “It’s really exciting. It’s a huge step for me. She’s a grand slam winner, and it’s the first one of those that I’ve beaten. It was a really quick second set but I dug in really deep in the first. I thought I held my nerve really well and found a way to win.”

Heather Watson Johanna Konta WTA Tour

Latest