Johanna Konta eases into the fourth round of the Miami Open

By Sky Sports Tennis

Sunday 26 March 2017 21:07, UK

Britain's Johanna Konta eased past Pauline Parmentier and book her place in the fourth round of the Miami Open.

After struggling to see off qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich in a three-set marathon on Saturday, the British No 1 produced a much-improved performance as she beat her French opponent 6-4 6-0.

Parmentier had arrived in Miami full of confidence after reaching the third round in Indian Wells where she took a set off second seed Angelique Kerber.

But after an even start to the match, Konta seized the initiative in the seventh game of the match when she swatted away a backhand to take the first break.

With a first serve percentage in excess of 90 per cent, Konta gave her opponent no way back in the opening set and would step up her advantage in the second.

Immediately, Konta broke to take the first game of the second set then a superbly measured forehand into the corner gave her the double break for 3-0 and effectively sealed a surprisingly routine success.

Growing increasingly disillusioned, Parmentier's game collapsed as Konta broke again to love before duly serving out to take her place in the last 16.

Konta will play the winner of the match between Spain's Lara Arruabarrena or eighth-ranked Madison Keys for a place in the quarter-finals.

Top seed Angelique Kerber came through a tough contest against Shelby Rogers 6-4 7-5 while seventh-seed Svetlana Kuznetsova dumped out Taylor Townsend 6-4 6-2.

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