Johanna Konta to open against Anett Kontaveit in Birmingham

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Johanna KontaImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Konta lost to world number seven Karolina Pliskova in the final in Rome

Nature Valley Classic

Venue: Edgbaston Priory Club Dates: 15-23 June

Coverage: Live text commentary on selected matches

Johanna Konta has been handed a testing first-round match against Anett Kontaveit at the Nature Valley Classic in Birmingham.

Estonia's Kontaveit is ranked 20th in the world, two places below French Open semi-finalist Konta.

World number one Naomi Osaka plays Greek Maria Sakkari, while French Open champion Ashleigh Barty faces Croat Donna Vekic.

Wildcard Heather Watson takes on Czech Barbora Strycova.

Fellow Briton Harriet Dart plays Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva.

Five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams, who is making her debut at the event aged 38 after accepting a wildcard, faces Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich.

Konta has risen from 47th in the world at the end of April after a run of clay-court form that carried her to finals in Rabat and Rome, before making the last four at Roland Garros.

However, she has not been beyond the second round in six attempts at Edgbaston's Priory Club, losing to Petra Kvitova in the first round last year.

Play in the main draw begins on Monday.

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