Resilient Konta crushes Bencic to reach last 16

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Britain's Johanna Konta looked back to full fitness at the U.S. Open on Friday as she swept past Switzerland's Belinda Bencic 6-2 6-1 to reach the last 16 for a second year in a row.

(Reuters)

A semi-finalist at the 2016 Australian Open, 13th seed Konta never allowed Bencic into the match, hitting eight aces as she matched her best effort in the season's final grand slam at Flushing Meadows.

"I am just overwhelmingly happy," said Konta, who collapsed on court midway through her previous match against Bulgaria's Tsvetana Pironkova before recovering to win 6-2 5-7 6-2.

"I'm really happy with how I was able to deal with things. Just happy I was able to use whatever energy I had left."

Konta will next play the unseeded Latvian, Anastasija Sevastova, who beat Ukrainian Kateryna Bondarenko 6-4 6-1 earlier on Friday.

(Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes)