Johanna Konta is through to the third round of Wimbledon for the first time in her career - after an exhausting fight.

The British No.1 from Eastbourne sneaked past Croatian Donna Vekic 7-6, 4-6, 10-8 in an extraordianry match on centre court.

It took world No.7 and sixth seed Konta three hours and ten minutes to finally see off Vekic in another epic after losing to her a couple of weeks ago in the Nottingham final.

That contest spanned three sets and two-and-a-half hours. Further evidence of how closely the players are matched was on show in a gruelling and at times enthralling first set in hot sunshine, which Konta eventually took 7-6 on the tie-break in 67 minutes.

Aided by a double fault, she had two break points in the first game, but it was her own thumping serve which she often had to work to hold against the world No.58 in a hard-hitting tussle, with neither player holding back from the baseline.

Vekic eventually broke to lead 5-3, helped by a double fault and missed forehand down the line from Konta.

The first set looked like slipping away from the Eastbourne girl when she was 30-0 down in the next game but brave beligerence rescued the situation and she consolidated an immediate break back with an ace to complete a love service game.

Four chances to break Vekic again for a 6-5 lead came and went as the set went into a tie-break, briefly delayed at the start by a spectator fainting in the heat.

Konta won the tie-break 7-4 to nose ahead, only to then lose focus at the start of the second set by dropping the opening game on serve.

The 26-year-old demonstrated resolve once more to level at 2-2, then was immediately broken again as the contest continued to see-saw, Vekic showing no signs of relenting in her comeback quest.

The Croatian held her nerve to take the second set and level the match, by which time the clock had ticked around to nearly two hours.

Both players left the court for a toilet break, lasting more than seven minutes, before the final set. It was that sort of match, one to shred the nerves.

Midway through the decider, Konta scrambled well on one point, only to hit a smash long. It was indicative of the tension.

She served her way out of trouble at 5-5, deuce, then staved off the first break point of the decider to lead 7-6. It was edge-of-seat stuff.

Konta came within two points of victory in the next game but Vekic stayed calm to restore parity again.

Time and again the pressure reverted, Konta surviving another mini-crisis at 0-30 with some big serving to nose ahead again 8-7.

Vekic finally succumbed. She saved one match point with an ace but could not deny Konta the second.

Konta said: "Both of us battled incredibly hard. Whoever was going to draw the short straw was going to be hurting."

Konta now faces Maria Sakkari in the third round on Friday.

The 21-year-old Greek came from behind to knock out world No.3 Karolina Pliskova's sister, Kristyna, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4 out on court 14.