Australian Open: Johanna Konta, Heather Watson and Kyle Edmund all reach second round

[Devolz]

Johanna Konta, Heather Watson and Kyle Edmund are all into the second round of the Australian Open.

The trio joined fellow Britons Sir Andy Murray and Dan Evans in round two by winning their opening matches in Melbourne on Tuesday.

British women's number one Konta produced a scratchy performance on Margaret Court Arena but the 25-year-old still proved too strong for Kirsten Flipkens.

Konta, the ninth seed and a serious contender for the title, won 7-5 6-2 to set up a clash with Japan's big-hitting but erratic 19-year-old Naomi Osaka.

Watson, Britain's number two female player, had earlier dug deep to shock home favourite and 18th seed Samantha Stosur 6-3 3-6 6-0.

The 24-year-old was broken in the first game of the match and again early in the second set but, after several gruelling games, eventually surged clear in the decider.

Her reward for beating a player 60 places higher in the world rankings is a tie against either American Jennifer Brady or Belgian Maryna Zanevska.

Meanwhile, in the men's draw, British number two Edmund sailed past Colombian Santiago Giraldo in straight sets.

Edmund had fallen at the first hurdle in Melbourne on both of his two previous attempts but the 22-year-old outclassed Giraldo to win 6-2 7-5 6-3.

He joins compatriots Andy Murray and Dan Evans in round two and will meet Pablo Carreno Busta, the Spanish 30th seed and beneficiary of a fifth-set retirement from Canadian Peter Polansky.