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Italian Open: Johanna Konta beats Irina-Camelia Begu in Rome

British number one Johanna Konta made an impressive return to the clay as she eased past Romania qualifier Irina-Camelia Begu at the Italian Open.

Konta, 29, played confidently and precisely to win 6-0 6-4 against 77th-ranked Begu in the second-round match.

The seventh seed, who was given a first-round bye, won the opener in 29 minutes and maintained a good level.

It was Konta's first match on clay since losing in last year's French Open semi-finals to Marketa Vondrousova.

The world number 13 is hoping to replicate that achievement - and go even further in the Grand Slam tournament - when Roland Garros starts in Paris at the end of this month.