BRITAIN’S Johanna Konta lifted the curse of the Wimbledon favourite by cruising past Maria Sakkari and into the last 16.

Konta moved top of the billing in the bookies’ estimations on Thursday after previous incumbents Petra Kvitova and Karolina Pliskova had successively failed to justify the tag.

But Konta halted the exodus on Court One as she overcame Sakkari 6-4 6-1 to become the first British woman to make the second week of the singles at Wimbledon since Laura Robson in 2013.

She will face 21st seed Caroline Garcia of France and while Robson had been a surprise runner, there is now an expectation that Konta can go further.

“I’m very happy with that, it was gusty out there and wasn’t easy,” Konta said after the match.

“I tried to take care of the simple things and compete hard.

“Everyone’s a potential winner here. I am here to be involved until the very end and I am happy to still be here.

“The support is amazing. It’s truly humbling and it’s what we all dream of, to play on the biggest stage.”

It was not a vintage performance from the world number seven, with her forehand often wayward, particularly in the first set.

Her serve was also less potent than usual, but it is a sign of Konta’s status now that she still progressed with minimal fuss.

“I’m not particularly aware,” Konta responded, when asked about any growing pressure.

“Everyone is a potential winner here. I’m here to be involved hopefully until the very end but it’s one match at a time.

“I’m happy to come through today and get ready for a battle coming up next.”

Sakkari, the 21-year-old from Greece, is enjoying a breakthrough season with the help of Andy Murray’s former coach Mark Petchey, but she is yet to beat a top-20 player in six attempts and never looked like bucking the trend here.

Garcia was a straight-sets winner over America’s Madison Brengle, the conqueror of two-time winner Petra Kvitova in the previous round, and beat Konta in a final-set tie-break at Indian Wells this year, so will offer a tougher test.

Venus Williams, Angelique Kerber, Garbine Muguruza and Victoria Azarenka, with 12 major titles between them, are all still going strong.

But, however optimistic, the favourite tag seemed not to weigh heavy on Konta, who sent two dipping backhands past Sakkari for a first-game break and almost had 3-0 only for her opponent to stem the tide.

Sakkari failed to hit a winner until the sixth game, and even that was an ace, but she was quick around the baseline and seemingly happy to hope for the mistake.

Konta obliged too often, with her forehand unusually wild, and she had to save two break points at 4-3 before finally restoring order. Two demon serves and Konta had clinched the first set.

The trouble for Sakkari was that if Konta found her range, she would have little to offer in reply, and so it proved as successive breaks in the second set put the Briton 3-0 to the good.

Sakkari showed some late resistance, threatening a break back at 4-1, but nothing could stop Konta, who shrieked in delight when a final backhand fired long.