By Tennis Now | Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Johanna Konta swept seventh-seeded Elise Mertens and Moscow native Vera Zvonareva won an all-Russian clash at the Kremlin Cup.
Photo credit: @TennisRussia/Kremlin Cup
On a day in which world No. 1 Simona Halep moved out of the field, veterans Vera Zvonareva and Johanna Konta moved on in Moscow.
The 44th-ranked Konta conquered seventh-seeded Elise Mertens, 6-3, 7-5.
More: Halep Withdraws From Moscow
It was Konta's first match since parting company with coach Michael Joyce and her first victory since she defeated Canadian qualifier Gabriela Dabrowski in her Tokyo opener last month.
The British No. 1 is working with Dimitri Zavialoff on a trial basis in Moscow this week.
Playing aggressively at the outset, Konta crunched a crosscourt forehand to break and love and seal the 34-minute opening set.
The 16th-ranked Belgian scored her lone break to open the second set and confirmed the break in the second game. Konta broke back in the eighth game to level.
Serving to force the tie break, Mertens could not hold as Konta broke again to close in one hour, 22 minutes.
The former world No. 4 broke four times—twice in each set—and will play either Russian lucky loser Vitalia Diatchenko or Australian Daria Gavrilova for a quarterfinal spot.
In an all-Russian clash, 2010 Wimbledon finalist Zvonareva did not drop serve sweeping Irina Khromacheva, 6-3, 6-3.
The 34-year-old Moscow native played through qualifying to reach the US Open second round last month.
The 2008 Kremlin Cup runner-up will play second-seeded Karolina Pliskova in round two.
Tunisian qualifier Ons Jabeur needed just 53 minutes to dismiss Moscow resident Ekaterina Makarova, 6-1, 6-2.
It was Makarova's sixth opening-round exit from her hometown tournament in her last seven Moscow appearances.
The 101st-ranked Jabeur advanced to a round of 16 meeting with third-seeded Sloane Stephens.