Wimbledon Day 3: Andy Murray, Johanna Konta, Rafael Nadal Advance To Round 3

Andy Murray and Johanna Konta reached the third round of Wimbledon on Wednesday to become part of an elite group of four British players who are the first to advance to that round of the tournament in 20 years.

Heather Watson and Aljaz Bedene also advanced to round 3

Murray — the world’s top-ranked tennis star — defeated world number 97 Dustin Brown of Germany 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London.

Before that, Australian-born Konta — the tournament’s sixth seed who is the world number seven — edged past Croatia’s Donna Vekic 7-6 (7-4) 4-6 10-8 in three hours and 10 minutes of fascinating play in the grass-court event.

Konta had won only one match in the Wimbledon women’s draw before this year, but is now a strong contender to become the first British female winner of the tournament since Virginia Wade in 1977. The 26-year-old beat 23rd-ranked Taiwanese star Hsieh Su-wei in the first round in London after the 31-year-old eliminated her from the French Open last month.

“I’m here with the intention of being part of the event for the full two weeks, but as you have just seen every player gives it their all, there’s no easy match,” Konta told BBC Sport.

The other two Brits to win in the Round of 64 on Wednesday were Heather Watson — who saw off Latvian 18th seed Anastasija Sevastova 6-0 6-4 — and Aljaz Bedene, who defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Damir Dzumhur 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.

The last time at least four Britons reached the third round at Wimbledon was 1997, when Tim Henman, Mark Petchey, Greg Rusedski, Andrew Richardson and Karen Cross all advanced to that stage.

Kyle Edmund could become the fifth Brit to reach round 3 this year if he beats 15th-seeded Frenchman Gael Monfils on Thursday.

Watson and Konta also mark the first pair of British women to appear in the same third-round draw since Jo Durie and Anne Hobbes in 1986.

Also advancing to the next stage on Wednesday was fourth-seeded Spaniard Rafael Nadal, who beat American Donald Young 6-4, 6-2, 7-5.

Murray, who had been suffering from a sore hip, sped through 11 of his 13 games to beat 32-year-old Brown in one hour and 36 minutes without facing a break point and recording only five unforced errors.

“My hip is OK,” Murray told BBC Sport.  “I have moved well in the first couple of matches, it hasn’t affected me. I have been getting good practices in and it feels good. Hopefully it stays that way.”

“It’s been a good start, hopefully I can keep it going.”

Murray next faces 28th-seeded Italian Fabio Fognini in round 3 on Friday. Konta will play Greek qualifier Maria Sakkari — who will be 22 later this month — in the third round on Friday.

Nadal will face 30th-seeded Russian Karen Khachanov in round 3 on Friday.

Venus Williams — the 10th seed — also advanced by beating China’s Qiang Wang 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 after coming back from a set down. Williams next plays 19-year-old Japanese star Naomi Osaka in the third round Friday morning.

LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 05: Johanna Konta of Great Britain celebrates match point and victory during the Ladies Singles second round match against Donna Vekic of Croatia on day three of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 5, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)