Sussex tennis ace Johanna Konta has been told to believe in herself more after producing the best result on home soil by a British woman for 17 years.

Eastbourne-based Konta, playing in her own backyard on the centre court at Devonshire Park, dumped out world No.8 and 2010 champion Ekaterina Makarova from Russia 6-2, 6-4 yesterday to reach the last 16 of the Aegon International.

It was the best domestic result since Sam Smith upset Conchita Martinez in the third round at Wimbledon in 1998, when the Spaniard was ranked seven.

Smith, who commentated on Konta's stunning win for the BBC, told The Argus: "Johanna should be flying. I was saying in commentary she's lost a lot of really tight matches over the years that had she'd won she'd have a slightly different career path.

"So to get over the line against someone as good as Makarova is fantastic. I thought she played brilliantly from start to finish.

"She is quite an under-stated character and she should back herself now. She was very positive and composed and she didn't get too wound up, because I don't think that's her way.

"She is very controlled but I don't think she has always believed in herself. There is nothing wrong with that, funnily emough it's quite a British trait, even though she is Hungarian via Australia.

"I just hope now she should belief in herself because that was a really top notch performance and that could change the next five years if she stays healthy, it really could. She played that well."

British No.1 Heather Watson joined Konta in the third round last night with a stirring recovery to knock out Ukraine 11th seed Elina Svitolina 3-6, 7-5, 6-4.