Birmingham: CoCo ousts Konta, Muguruza advances

CoCo Vandeweghe reaffirmed her grasscourt credentials on Thursday in Birmingham by sending home favourite and fourth seed Johanna Konta packing from the tournament.

Vandeweghe, a Wimbledon quarterfinalist in 2015 and a two-time winner in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, belted the Brit off the court in winning 6-1 6-3.

The 65-minute thrashing set up a mouthwatering quarterfinal clash with No.6 seed Garbine Muguruza, who breezed past Alison Riske 6-1 6-4.

“I was particularly happy with how I competed. I think that is the most important thing,” said Vandeweghe, who during this grasscourt season is working Australian former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash.

“I was ready to go from the start and that is what you want – to be firing and moving well and I felt that way today.

“I was making her earn every service game, that was my focus. I think it finally started to wear into that second set and that is what got me the break.”

Another seed heading for the exit was No.2 seed Elina Svitolina, who succumbed to the erratic Italian Camila Giorgi.

Giorgi, who was forced to qualify for the main draw and has endured a lean season during which she’s slipped outside the top 100, won 6-4 4-6 6-2 to claimed her eighth career top-10 scalp.

In the quarterfinals she’ll face Ash Barty, who beat Giorgi just a few weeks ago on clay in Strasbourg.

Rounding out the second-round winners in Birmingham on Thursday was fifth seed Kristina Mladenovic, who beat China’s Zhang Shuai 6-4 7-6(3).

Next up for the Frenchwoman is Petra Kvitova.

VIDEO: Kvitova cruises into quarterfinals

“She is on a roll so I am expecting a tough one,” said the recent Roland Garros quarterfinalist.