Johanna Konta’s Wimbledon preparation hit by third-round exit at Eastbourne

Defeat means British No 1 will have played only four grass-court matches ahead of Championships

Johanna Konta suffered a significant setback in her preparations for Wimbledon when she lost in straight sets to Tunisia's Ons Jabeur in the third round at Eastbourne.

The British No 1 will therefore enter Wimbledon having played only four grass-court matches, after also being eliminated at the second-round stage in Birmingham last week.

She led by a break in the first set before eventually succumbing to a 6-3 6-2 defeat, missing out on a quarter-final clash against Alize Cornet.

Konta made a promising start against Jabeur, the world No 62, in moving 3-2 ahead but her opponent immediately broke back and seized the momentum to thereafter largely ease to victory.

She also played as though hesitant on a surface that had been rained on, and struggled to convince with her serve.

Konta, who during the clay-court season had reached two WTA finals and the final four of the French Open, is the 19th seed at Wimbledon, which begins on Monday.