Miami Open: Johanna Konta survives scare to reach third round

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Johanna KontaImage source, AP
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Konta's match against Sasnovich was interrupted by two rain breaks

British number one Johanna Konta battled her way past Aliaksandra Sasnovich in three sets in the second round of the Miami Open.

Konta won the first set but, despite being 4-2 up in the second, lost it on a tie-break before coming through 6-2 6-7 (7-5) 6-4 against the Belarussian.

The match lasted two hours 40 minutes and was interrupted by two rain breaks.

"I'm definitely satisfied with how I came back in the third set and just competed," Konta, 25, said.

"It was very difficult conditions - not just the wind, but also the rain, quite a little bit of stop and start.

"It was about managing your expectations for any sort of level for the match but also any sort of frustrations that would arise because of the conditions.

"She played quite well, and I really had to fight hard and work for it in the end."

Konta, ranked 11th in the world, will now play France's Pauline Parmentier, the world number 57.

Fifth seed Rafael Nadal beat Israel's Dudi Sela 6-3 6-4 in the men's draw.

The 30-year-old Spaniard broke his opponent in the fourth game in their second-round match before going on to claim the first set in 35 minutes.

Nadal saved two break points at 3-2 down in the second set and then broke Sela in the next game.

Nadal has reached the final in Miami four times but has yet to win the tournament.

There was little trouble for the other top seeds in action on Friday.

Second seed Kei Nishikori of Japan comfortably overcame South Africa's Kevin Anderson 6-4 6-3, while Canadian third seed Milos Raonic beat Viktor Troicki of Serbia 6-3 7-5.

There was a surprise when Russia's Elena Vesnina, fresh from her victory at Indian Wells, suffered a 3-6 6-4 7-5 defeat by world number 594 Ajla Tomljanovic, the wildcard from Croatia.

Romanian third seed Simona Halep was pushed to three sets by 19-year-old Japanese player Naomi Osaka before advancing 6-4 2-6 6-3.

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