Konta sweeps past Venus to reach Italian Open quarters

Rome - Britain's Johanna Konta brushed aside former champion Venus Williams to reach the quarter-finals of the Italian Open on Thursday.

Konta had earlier beat another American Sloane Stephens 6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 6-1 as competitors play two games to make up for Wednesday's rain washout.

Williams, the 1999 Rome winner, was handed a third round ticket after sister Serena pulled out with a knee injury before they were due to meet.

Results from the ATP and WTA Italian Open tournaments in Rome on Thursday (x denotes seeding):

Women

2nd rd

Naomi Osaka (JPN x1) bt Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) 6-3, 6-3

Mihaela Buzarnescu (ROU) bt Julia Grges (GER x16) 6-4, 3-6, 4-4 abandon

Carla Surez (ESP) bt Alize Cornet (FRA) 6-3, 3-0 retired

Kiki Bertens (NED x6) bt Amanda Anisimova (USA) 6-2, 4-6, 7-5

Darya Kasatkina (RUS) bt Katerina Siniakov (CZE) 2-6, 6-4, 6-1

Johanna Konta (GBR) bt Sloane Stephens (USA x7) 6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 6-1

Garbie Muguruza (ESP) bt Danielle Collins (USA) 6-4, 4-6, 6-2

Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) bt Belinda Bencic (SUI) 6-2, 2-6, 6-1

Petra Kvitova (CZE x2) bt Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) 6-0, 6-1

Men

2nd rd

Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) bt Denis Shapovalov (CAN) 6-1, 6-3

Casper Ruud (NOR) bt Nick Kyrgios (AUS) 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 2-1

Juan Martn Del Potro (ARG x7) bt David Goffin (BEL) 6-4, 6-2

Diego Schwartzman (ARG) bt Albert Ramos (ESP) 7-6 (7/5), 6-1

Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) bt Marin Cilic (CRO x9) 6-2, 6-3

Kei Nishikori (JPN x6) bt Taylor Fritz (USA) 6-2, 6-4

Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE x8) bt Jannik Sinner (ITA) 6-3, 6-2

Roger Federer (SUI x3) bt Joo Sousa (POR) 6-4, 6-3

Fernando Verdasco (ESP) bt Dominic Thiem (AUT x5) 4-6, 6-4, 7-5

Rafael Nadal (ESP x2) bt Jrmy Chardy (FRA) 6-0, 6-1