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Britain's Heather Watson swept aside sixth seed Ekaterina Makarova as she continued the defence of her Monterrey Open title. The win means that she will regain her position as Britain's number two.

 

Watson, 24, triumphed 6-4 6-1 over the world number 45 to set up a quarter-final with top seed Angelique Kerber.

 

World number 125 Watson broke in the 10th game of the opening set then did so again twice in the second before converting her sixth match point.

 

Kerber progressed by beating Mandy Minella of Luxembourg 6-1 6-3.

 

 

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Heather Watson's Monterrey Open title defence ended in the quarter-finals as she lost 6-4 6-4 to world number one Angelique Kerber.

 

The 24-year-old British world 125 could not convert any of her eight break points and lost in one hour 23 minutes.

 

Kerber seized upon her only break point of the first set to lead 4-3 and again in the opening game of the second.

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Britain's Heather Watson was knocked out in the first round of the Biel Bienne Open in Switzerland, losing in straight sets to Anett Kontaveit.

 

Watson, ranked 110th in the world, was beaten 7-6 (7-2) 6-2 by the Estonian, who is the world number 99.

 

The Briton, 24, saved nine out of 10 break points in the opening set and took the only one she created before losing in the tie-break.

 

Kontaveit found the second set easier and won in one hour and 32 minutes.

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Great Britain have named an unchanged Fed Cup team of Johanna Konta, Heather Watson, Laura Robson and Jocelyn Rae for their tie against Romania.

 

Britain travel to the Black Sea city of Constanta for the World Group II play-off on outdoor clay on 22-23 April.

 

They are looking to return to the elite level of the competition for the first time since 1993, but will go into the tie as heavy underdogs.

 

Britain set up the tie with a 2-1 victory over Croatia in February.

 

Romania are yet to name their squad, but world number five Simona Halep has already said she will play for her country, who have four other players in the top 100.

 

Konta, who claimed the biggest title of her career at the Miami Open earlier in April, is the highest-ranked British female at number seven in the world. Watson, at 110, is next.

 

"Romania have a first-class team and will have home advantage on their best surface. We are very much the underdogs," British captain Anne Keothavong said.

 

"But we have an excellent team spirit with lots of combined Fed Cup experience and Johanna is playing the best tennis of her career."

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Heather Watson has been announced as one of the first four winners of the 2017 Heart Award following her flawless Fed Cup by BNP Paribas performances in February.

 

The award, which recognises players who have shone with courage on court and demonstrated outstanding commitment to their respective teams, was open for all Fed Cup fans to vote on from March 24.

 

Heather receives the accolade off the back of the Aegon GB Fed Cup Team’s trip to Tallinn where she sealed victories in all three of her Europe/Africa Zone Group I ties in the round-robin stages against Portugal, Latvia and Turkey.

 

The British No.2 went on to notch up a further two victories in the play-off against Croatia, triumphing in both the singles rubber and deciding doubles with Johanna Konta.

 

Heather was nominated alongside Serbia’s Ivana Jorovic within the Europe/Africa I category and joins Aryna Sabalenka (BLR), Galina Voskoboeva (KAZ) and Bianca Andreescu (CAN) as the final four award-winners.  

She will receive a cheque to donate to her chosen charity and will be formally presented with the award in the upcoming crucial World Group II play-offs against Romania on April 22-23.

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ohanna Konta put a difficult week behind her to reach the second round of the Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart with victory over Japan's Naomi Osaka.

 

Konta, who left the court in tears after being verbally abused by Romania captain Ilie Nastase in a Fed Cup tie last week, won 7-6 (7-5) 3-6 6-1.

 

The British number one found it tough but Osaka's challenge faded in set three as she struggled with an injury.

 

Konta will face Latvia's Anastasija Sevastova in round two.

 

The 25-year-old told BT Sport: "I think obviously you could tell she [Osaka] was struggling, I hope everything is OK with her and she recovers quickly.

 

"It was just important for me to stay on my own game. Even though I lost the second set I didn't feel like I did much wrong."

 

Konta had not dropped a set in two previous meetings with 19-year-old Osaka but clay is her weakest surface.

 

The world number seven struggled for consistency in the opening two sets but the key moment came when she saved two break points in the third game of the third set before then breaking Osaka's serve in the next.

 

As Maria Sharapova has been drawn in the other half of the draw, they won't meet in this tournament unless they both get to the final.

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British number one Johanna Konta is out of the Stuttgart Open after a second-round defeat by Anastasija Sevastova.

 

Konta, 25, was beaten 6-3 7-5 by the Latvian world number 26 in a match lasting one hour and 22 minutes.

 

The world number seven broke in the opening game but failed to hold her own serve until her fourth attempt.

 

Konta broke to go 3-1 up in the second set but lost that advantage in the next game and was broken again at 5-5, as Sevastova clinched victory.

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A happy birthday to Johanna Konta

 

Johanna Konta made a strong start at the Italian Open with a straight-set win over Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva in Rome.

 

The British number one, who turns 26 on Wednesday, won 6-3 6-0 to claim her second clay-court victory of the year.

 

Konta had a bye in the first round as the fifth seed and will face American Venus Williams or Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko in round three.

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British number one Johanna Konta lost to Venus Williams in the last 16 of the Italian Open in Rome.

 

The 26-year-old world number six recovered from a set down to level but American Williams, 36, dominated the final set to win 6-1 3-6 6-1.

 

The fifth seed had won her past three encounters with Williams, but the veteran controlled proceedings from the baseline, taking the first set in just over half an hour.

 

Konta rallied and won three straight games to claim the second set but Williams responded with another double break in the third to secure victory.

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It's taking time but she's getting there.

 

Laura Robson will move back into the world's top 200 after beating fellow Briton Katie Boulter 6-3 6-4 to win the ITF 60k Kurume tournament in Japan.

 

The 23-year-old will rise to 169th from 218th in Monday's updated rankings.

 

Her career has been blighted by three years of wrist problems and she has not played in the main draw of a WTA event since August's US Open.

 

Robson, who was ranked as high as 27th in 2013, has dropped down to a level below the WTA to regain form.

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Kai-Chen Chan beat Tara Moore in the first qualifying round 6-2, 7-5 so only Heather Watson has got through to the second qualifying round which I think is tomorrow. She will need to get through to the second round of the main draw to avoid dropping back down below Naomi Broady in the rankings.

 

Of course Johanna Konta is straight into the main draw as the seventh seed.

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British number one Johanna Konta suffered a shock defeat by world number 109 Hsieh Su-wei in the first round of the French Open.

 

Seventh seed Konta dominated the first set but eventually went down 1-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 to Taiwanese Hsieh.

 

Konta, 26, has still yet to win a match in the main draw at Roland Garros after three successive first-round losses.

 

She will now head back to the UK and hope for more success in the grass-court season.

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British number one and top seed Johanna Konta reached the second round of the Nottingham Open as Heather Watson was knocked out.

 

Konta, 26, was leading 6-2 3-0 when British number four Tara Moore retired with a foot injury.

 

World number eight Konta, who has now won 300 singles matches in her career, will play Belgian Yanina Wickmayer in round two.

 

Watson, 25, lost 6-2 6-3 against fourth seed Alison Riske of the USA.

 

The British number three's defeat came after she finished runner-up in the Surbiton Trophy on Sunday. (The WTA rankings are still showing Heather as number two just ahead of Naomi Broady)

 

Konta told BBC Radio Nottingham: "I didn't realise I was approaching that number. It was a really nice surprise at the end.

 

"It was good to spend some time out on court, although it wasn't the best circumstances to come through that match.

 

"In terms of the things I had under my control, I feel I competed well and I definitely enjoyed getting my first grass-court match under my belt."

 

On Monday, British wildcard Laura Robson lost in the first round to American Julia Boserup

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Johanna Konta continued her Wimbledon preparations with a routine win over her doubles partner Yanina Wickmayer at the Nottingham Open.

 

The British number one, 26, won 6-4 6-1 in only an hour and 14 minutes to reach the quarter-finals in her first grass-court tournament of the year.

 

Konta, who is ranked eighth in the world, will play 21-year-old Australian Ashleigh Barty in the last eight

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British number one Johanna Konta reached the Nottingham Open semi-finals for the first time with a straight-sets win over Australia's Ashleigh Barty.

 

The world number eight, 26, won 6-3 7-5 after converting her fourth match point against the 21-year-old.

 

Konta lost her serve midway through the second set before fighting back to claim four of the final five games.

 

"It was difficult, she started very strongly. I had to raise my game and only had one little dip," said Konta.

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Johanna Konta through to her first grass court final by beating Magdalena Rybarikova 6-2, 7-2 in the Nottingham Open.

 

Next week is the Manchester Classic where Johanna Konta will be competing with more of the top tennis players than at Nottingham. Heather Watson and Naomi Broady will also be in the draw having been given wild cards. The following week is Eastbourne then off to Wimbledon. Wimbledon is now held a week later than in previous years mainly to give more time for players to get over from the French Open on clay to Wimbledon on grass.

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Croatia's Donna Vekic shocked British number one Johanna Konta to win the Nottingham Open final.

 

The world number 70 came recovered from a disappointing first set to win 2-6 7-6 (7-3) 7-5 in temperatures of 30C.

 

Konta, 26, looked on course for her first grass title on home soil, but struggled with Vekic's baseline hitting to lose the second set tie-break.

 

Vekic, 20, edged a tense decider to win her second WTA title, ahead of the start of Wimbledon on 3 July.

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British number two Naomi Broady earned one of the best wins of her career by beating France's Alize Cornet at the Aegon Classic in Birmingham.

 

The 27-year-old, who is ranked 111, took her third match point to win 7-6 (7-3) 6-0 against the world number 38.

 

Cornet, who reached the French Open last 16 earlier this month, won the opening three games before Broady fought back to reach the second round

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British number one Johanna Konta beat Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko to reach the second round of the Aegon Classic in Birmingham.

 

Fourth seed Konta battled to a 6-3 7-6 (8-6) win against the world number 34.

 

Tsurenko had the chance to serve for the second set at 5-3 but Konta broke back and went on to win the tie-break by converting her third match point.

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Britain's Johanna Konta was knocked out of the Aegon Classic in the second round by American Coco Vandeweghe.

 

Konta, the highest seed left in the Birmingham event, was beaten 6-1 6-3 in 64 minutes by the world number 30.

 

The world number seven won only 11 points in losing the first set in 24 minutes and became frustrated as Vandeweghe finished the match strongly.

 

The Briton will now play at Eastbourne where she will hope for a good run in the last event before Wimbledon starts

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Excellent result for British number three Heather Watson who beat defending champion Dominika Cibulkova (world ranking 9) in straight sets to reach the last 16 at Eastbourne.

 

Watson, ranked 126th in the world, beat fourth seed Cibulkova 7-5 6-4 in an enthralling contest.

 

Watson was made to work hard for her victory, with Cibulkova saving three match points and breaking her opponent's serve late in the final set.

 

But the Briton held her nerve to oust the world number nine in one hour and 42 minutes.

 

She sent down eight aces and won 69% of the points on her first serve to set up a meeting with Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

 

"The atmosphere was incredible, I was getting goosebumps at the end," Watson told Eurosport. "I got a little nervous but I'm pleased I got through it in that last game.

 

"She's a hard worker and a fighter so I knew it was never going to be easy. She's very aggressive but I'm OK with that. I have some wheels so I've got to use them."

 

Compatriot Naomi Broady was beaten 6-2 6-7 (7-9) 6-1 by Czech Kristyna Pliskova, ranked 44th in the world.

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A good afternoon for Johanna Konta and Heather Watson at Eastbourne.

 

Johanna Konta beat Jelena Ostapenko (ranking 14) 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 and is up against the number one Angelique Kerber in the quarter finals.

 

Heather Watson beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (ranking 17) 6-4, 6-3 and meets Barbora Strycova (ranking 23).

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And a not bad early evening for Johanna Konta and Heather Watson with their second match of the day (because of bad weather over the last few days).

 

Johanna Konta showed her Wimbledon credentials with a dramatic win over world number one Angelique Kerber after recovering from a heavy fall on match point in the Eastbourne quarter-final.

 

The British number one, 26, won 6-3 6-4 against Germany's Kerber to reach the Aegon International semi-finals.

 

Konta took her fourth match point after a stoppage of almost 10 minutes as she needed treatment following the fall. She has a tough semi final tomorrow against the number 3 Karolína PlÃ­ÅĄkovÃĄ. Too soon to know if she'll be able to and what impact there may be for Wimbledon.

 

Barbora Strycova was beaten by Heather Watson 1-6, 6-1, 4-6. Heather's semi final tomorrow is against Caroline Wozniacki ranked 7. A confidence building week for her and she must be looking forward to next week. I think she regains the British number two. She may get back into the top 100 (definite if she were to win tomorrow).

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