Johanna Konta battles to superb win at Morocco Open in Rabat

Johanna Konta saved three match points as she battled back to defeat Wang Yafan in their first-round match at the Morocco Open in Rabat.

The British No 1 lost the opening set as both players' serve faltered but showed great determination to recover in her first match of the clay court season to win 4-6 7-6 (0) 6-4.

Konta, the world No 47 and the tournament's seventh seed, closed out the second set with a love tie-break only to then trail 3-1 in the decider following an early break by Wang.

The Briton forced a break back of her own to level up at 3-3 and then again to serve for the match, only to fail to hold before finally taking a second match point on Wang's double fault.

It is my first match on the clay for this season, so that presents its own challenges. I am just very happy to have had such a good match for a first match.

Speaking in her post-match interview on court, broadcast by the WTA, Konta said: "I am very proud of myself for the way I competed, it was a tough match for both of us.

"I lost that first set and then my opponent had three match points in that second set, so I am very happy to have battled through and found a way to win that second set, then come back from 3-1 down in that last set.

"I also had a match point at 5-3, so there was very little in the match for it to go either way, I am just very happy I made it through."

Konta added: "It is my first match on the clay for this season, so that presents its own challenges. I am just very happy to have had such a good match for a first match.

"There is no easy match here, so I am anticipating a really good battle (in the second round)."

Konta will play Romanian world No 132 Ana Bogdan in the second round.

Top seed Elise Mertens beat her fellow Belgian compatriot Kirsten Flipkens 6-3 6-1, while there were wins for Su-Wei Hsieh, Ajla Tomljanovic and Maria Sakkari.

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