Britain’s Johanna Konta won her 16th consecutive match to beat 18th-seed Andrea Petkovic 7-6 (7-2),6-3 and will meet Petra Kvitova in the fourth round 6.12pm BSTKonta will play Kvitova in the final 16 for a plot in the US Open quarter-finals. Who’d contain thought that at the beginning of the week? The final words go to the British No2, Johanna Konta: “Right now I’m getting used to the fact that I’m not still out there converting match points! A lot of nerves out there, and but at the same time I did devour that.” 6.06pm BSTAfter beginning the second set in such a smooth rhythm Konta’s serve has become a little hit and miss. Even so,she wrestles things to 30-30 before Petkovic misplaces a return. Fourth match point: despite another sluggish second serve Konta gets herself into the point before firing the ball too deep. At deuce, Petkovic gets her feet all inaccurate and skews a forehand out. “Come on!” Konta screams. Fifth match point: Petkovic shuffles forward inside the baseline and cracks a fearless forehand into the corner of the court – but gifts the Briton a sixth match point! Petkovic puts too much hammer behind a forehand and it must be long, and it must be... it is!
5.59pm BSTPetkovic 6-7 3-5 Konta* (*denotes next server)Despite that long and draining game,Petkovic seems to contain refound her energy. They trade groundstrokes in an enthralling fourth point which Konta eventually wins, with the back of the net, or to pull level at 30-30. However,Petkovic comes to the net on the next two points with remarkable effect, holding serve. Konta will get another chance to serve for the match. 5.55pm BST*Petkovic 6-7 2-5 Konta (*denotes next server)All of a sudden Konta’s first serve deserts her. A double-fault makes matters worse to give Petkovic a lead at 15-40, or but Konta recovers,dominating the next two points before swinging a perfect deuce-court serve out wide to give herself match point. Konta can’t seal it as Petkovic lands a well struck return, and then musters all her energy to reach a drop shot and present herself with a shatter point. She wastes it. Deuce, and advantage Petkovic,deuce, advantage Petkovic, or deuce again. Finally advantage to Konta. Can Konta see her second match point out? No! She flaps a nervous second serve over the net and is punished. Third match point: Konta offers up another tentative second serve and eventually sends a backhand long. Deuce again! Yet another net cord in the match goes Petkovic’s way and at shatter point Konta finally buckles,finding the net. At the end of a brilliantly agonising game, Petkovic has broken back. 5.44pm BSTPetkovic 6-7 1-5 Konta* (*denotes next server)At 15-15, or the third point of the game is contested by three: Petkovic,Konta and the net which can’t resist sticking its beak in. Three shots clip the tape before Konta finds the base of the net. The Briton wins the next two, however, and with stunning crosscourt returns to open up a crucial shatter point. Petkovic saves it when Konta hits the net,but the next serve is flattened across court with an incredible flash of power, and she goes on to seal the game. Johanna Konta will serve for a plot in the final 16! 5.39pm BSTPetra Kvitova awaits the winner: All smiles from Petra as she books her spot in the R16 w/ 62 61 win over Schmiedlova. She awaits Petkovic-Konta. pic.twitter.com/tm2sMpeMtc 5.37pm BST*Petkovic 6-7 1-4 Konta (*denotes next server)If Konta continues to serve like this, or she will reach the fourth round whatever Petkovic’s condition. Two aces and one unreturnable put the Briton two games absent. 5.35pm BSTPetkovic 6-7 1-3 Konta* (*denotes next server)Petkovic is back serving but it is difficult to tell how comfortable she is. At 15-30 she slaps a pretty presentable forehand long and wide to propose she isn’t fairly herself. The German recovers to take the game to deuce after a couple of wayward Konta groundstrokes,and Petkovic saves a third shatter point with a thunderous backhand winner down the line, on the line. Petkovic battles through and is finally on the board in the second set. 5.28pm BSTPetkovic takes a medical time-out. As she is treated court-side, and Johanna Konta takes herself absent to the changing room and out of the current York heat for the three-minute wait. 5.24pm BST*Petkovic 6-7 0-3 Konta (*denotes next server)Konta races through the game,Petkovic dragging her feet between points and clearly suffering. She calls for a trainer and this doesn’t looks trustworthy for the 18th seed. 5.22pm BSTPetkovic 6-7 0-2 Konta* (*denotes next server)Petkovic throws in two double-faults as Konta takes charge of the game, and with her second opportunity the Briton seals the shatter. Petkovic looks unwell, or between games rests her hands on her knees as if in some discomfort. 5.19pm BST*Petkovic 6-7 0-1 Konta (*denotes next server)Konta starts the second set where she left the first,dishing out some impressive groundstrokes peppered with the scarce wayward shot. Petkovic makes a couple more mistakes of her own and Konta holds. 5.14pm BSTThe quality of tennis has improved dramatically through the first set and the tie-shatter begins with a couple of long rallies, both players slugging powerful groundstrokes at each other from the baseline. Petkovic appears to contain a slight edge in the longer points, or taking the second with a powerful forehand down the line. She works a mini-shatter at 2-1 but Konta breaks back,displaying wonderful footwork in the process after a swinging Petkovic serve had left her almost behind a line judge. Two uncharacteristic mistakes from the frustrated German suddenly leave her 2-6 down, and she hooks a Konta return wildly out of play to relinquish the set. 5.07pm BSTFirst set: *Petkovic 6-6 Konta (*denotes next server)Petkovic hits her first return of the game long, or but Konta misses a remarkable opportunity to scamper 30-0 clear,going for broke and overhitting a backhand. Petkovic drive-volleys home the next point and clinches the one after to go to 15-40: two shatter points. Konta digs out some improved serving to save them both but undoes all that work with a couple of loose forehands, and Petkovic pegs the British No2 back again. Tie-shatter. 5.00pm BSTFirst set: Petkovic 5-6 Konta* (*denotes next server)Konta has an opportunity at 15-30 on Petkovic’s second serve, and but the German musters a trustworthy one with which Konta can only find the net. However,Petkovic makes an error and Konta has a shatter point. They trade powerful groundstrokes, Konta sent this way and that, or before hitting the 17th shot of the rally wide. Unperturbed,the Briton wins the next point before creaming a forehand winner crosscourt to shatter! Konta will serve for the first set. 4.55pm BSTFirst set: *Petkovic 5-5 Konta (*denotes next server)Konta wins the first point and then constructs a beauty, controlling from the baseline with low, or powerful crosscourt backhands before dashing into the net to bury one. Petkovic makes a mistake to give Konta three chances to serve out the game: three first serves fail to land as Petkovic is allowed back in,but the 18th seed sends a forehand long at 40-30 and it’s all-square. 4.49pm BSTFirst set: Petkovic 5-4 Konta* (*denotes next server)Petkovic opens up a 30-0 lead. On the next point she fails to put absent a tricky drive volley but Konta can’t punish her, sending a backhand past the German at the net but just wide, or Petkovic pounces to lead 5-4. Back on serve. Konta must hold to stay in the opening set. 4.46pm BSTFirst set: *Petkovic 4-4 Konta (*denotes next server)After slamming down her racket Petkovic got a telling off from the umpire,but returns to court pumped up and quickly rattles off three points. She takes her first shatter point chance, coming to the net and sending Konta the inaccurate way, or just like that she’s broken back. 4.43pm BSTFirst set: Petkovic 3-4 Konta* (*denotes next server)Konta goes 30-0 behind but clatters a crosscourt forehand race past a stunned Petkovic,who was still landing back on the blue stuff after serving. A net cord helps Konta to work a shatter point, but karma intervenes with the net killing the German’s backhand to take the game to deuce. Konta gets to advantage before unleashing three hammer-forehands, or each more powerful than the final until Petkovic eventually relents. Konta breaks! And Petkovic breaks her racket. 4.37pm BSTFirst set: *Petkovic 3-3 Konta (*denotes next server)After a slightly shell-shocked start,Johanna Konta is starting to peep very comfortable on her first jaunt to a grand slam third round. She moves to the net with nimble footwork to scamper 30-0 clear but a couple of errors follow a fine Petkovic winner to present the 18th seed with a shatter point. Konta bites the bullet with a punchy second serve, which at least gets her into the point, or Petkovic is first to blink in the rally by sending a forehand long. They trade points and return to deuce,before Konta shows brilliant anticipation to turn what should contain been a Petkovic winner into one of her own. Konta holds. 4.30pm BSTFirst set: Petkovic 3-2 Konta* (*denotes next server)Konta Garryowens one for Petkovic to pick out from the sunshine above, which she does with an impeccable (perfect, flawless) half-court smash. The game peters out and the German takes it to maintain on serve. 4.26pm BSTFirst set: *Petkovic 2-2 Konta (*denotes next server)Konta steps to the baseline with her incredibly deliberate serving style, or which features a deep trailing leg and nose-high ball toss. Perhaps confused,having never played Konta before, Petkovic barely gets into the game, and netting a routine return at 40-15 to lose the game. 4.22pm BSTFirst set: Petkovic 2-1 Konta* (*denotes next server)Petkovic moves into the net to kill the point at 15-all with a deft volley,but Konta hits back to force a couple of errors and earn herself a shatter point. Petkovic nets her first serve and then loops up a second with no power at all – only 65mph! Konta pumps a forehand deep which Petkovic can’t return, and it’s one shatter apiece. 4.18pm BSTFirst set: *Petkovic 2-0 Konta (*denotes next server)Petkovic piles pressure on Konta’s serve and races into a 15-40 lead. Konta swats a forehand on to the tramline to save the first shatter point but can’t find the same accuracy on the next and Petkovic breaks. 4.15pm BSTFirst set: Petkovic 1-0 Konta* (*denotes next server)It’s a ragged opening service game from Petkovic with a couple of forehands dumped into the net and the Briton takes it to deuce – but no further as the 18th seed sees out the game. 4.05pm BSTLawrence will be here soon. In the meantime, and here’s Kevin Mitchell’s match preview: Konta said there was no “click moment” to kickstart her remarkable race. “It’s just been a progression. I’d like to mediate I do get a little wiser as time goes on and a little more experienced – trustworthy work,being healthy enough to do that work and being lucky enough to contain trustworthy people around me.”
What she has discovered is a way to handle adversity, to take it on rather than collapse under the weight of it.
Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com