ROME: Britain’s Johanna Konta beat Magdalena Rybarikova in the first round of the Italian Open to register her second win in eight days over the Slovak.
Konta, ranked 22nd in the world, beat the 16th seed 6-4 6-3 in one hour and 48 minutes in Rome.
She previously beat Rybarikova in the first round of the Madrid Open, before being knocked out by Bernarda Pera.
The 26-year-old will play either Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-Wei or Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus next.
British number one Konta had been set to play Petra Kvitova, but the Czech withdrew following her victory in the Madrid Open on Saturday.
