Johanna Konta beats Ekaterina Makarova at Aegon International

British number two Johanna Konta won her first match against an opponent in the world's top 10 to continue her impressive form before Wimbledon.

The world number 146 beat eighth-ranked Ekaterina Makarova, a US Open and Australian Open semi-finalist, at the Aegon International in Eastbourne.

"On paper it looks like my best win," said Konta after a 6-2 6-4 victory.

British number one Heather Watson also reached round three with a 3-6 7-5 6-4 win against 11th-seed Elina Svitolina.

"I haven't really had the best time in the clay-court season and have been finding a few things tough, so this week was like a new start for me," said Watson.

"I've got a lot of emotion in me right now. I think on the court it shows.

"The crowd today was louder than I think I have ever heard them here at Eastbourne for one of my matches. I just loved every minute of it."

Watson, 23, clinched victory after two hours and 20 minutes by breaking the Ukrainian's serve in the final game of the match.

She will now play American Sloane Stephens, who beat fifth seed Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain, while Australia-born Konta meets 14th seed Garbine Muguruza.

"I knew she wouldn't give me any easy points - she is a top-10 player for a reason. I had to play some of my best tennis out there and I managed to do that," added 24-year-old Konta.

Konta, who has been given a wildcard to play at next week's Wimbledon, beat world number 34 Zarina Diyas in straight sets in her first-round match.

Defending champion Madison Keys, 20, is out of the Eastbourne tournament after losing 6-2 6-2 against Swiss teenager Belinda Bencic in the second round.

Bencic, 18, will now face Canada's Eugenie Bouchard, last year's beaten finalist at Wimbledon, in round three.

Seventh seed Bouchard, 21, progressed with a 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 win over Alison Riske of the United States, while number two seed Caroline Wozniacki won 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 against Jarmila Gajdosova of Australia.

Beaten 2012 Wimbledon finalist Agnieszka Radwanska, who won in Eastbourne in 2008, will meet Czech eighth seed Karolina Pliskova after dropping just two games against second-round opponent Irina Falconi.

However, French Open runner-up and third seed Lucie Safarova was eliminated following a 7-6 (9-7) 6-4 defeat by Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova.

Meanwhile, sixth seed Angelique Kerber has withdrawn through illness.

"So sorry that I have to pull out from Eastbourne with a viral illness, hope to be back next year!" tweeted the 27-year-old German, who won her first grass-court title in Birmingham on Sunday.

Defending Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova also withdrew from the Aegon International with illness.