Johanna Konta beats Heather Watson in Indian Wells second round
British number one Johanna Konta beat her compatriot Heather Watson 6-4 6-4 to reach the third round of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells.
Konta, ranked 11th to Watson’s 108th, struggled for rhythm in the first set but dominated the second to lead 5-1.
Watson served nine double faults before fighting back but Konta came through.
In the men’s event, Kyle Edmund beat Portugal’s Gastao Elias 6-1 6-3 to set up a second-round meeting with world number two Novak Djokovic.
Fellow Briton Dan Evans will play Germany’s Dustin Brown later on Friday.
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Konta, who had a first-round bye, goes on to face Caroline Garcia or Evgeniya Rodina in round three in California.
“It was definitely a brilliant experience for both of us as Fed Cup team-mates and I am very happy to have come through it,” said Konta, who was playing her first match in a month after a foot injury.
It was the first meeting on the WTA Tour between Britain’s two leading women.
Their only previous contest was at a second-tier tournament in Barnstaple in 2013 when Watson retired after losing the first four games.
Konta’s class tells in the end
Watson broke serve first but then gifted the advantage back as she made three double faults in the third game.
With both players making errors, the pair traded serves again before Konta struck the decisive blow by winning the ninth game.
She went on to hold her serve to love to take the first set.
Konta won eight points without reply at the start of the second set and looked on course for a quick victory.
Watson, who threw her racquet in frustration after making three more double faults in the sixth game, found herself 5-1 down before she rallied.
Konta served two double faults in the seventh game and won only two points as Watson, 24, won three consecutive games.
But the 11th seed composed herself to seal her place in the next round after 94 minutes.