Konta admits inexperience proves crucial in Australian Open final

Johanna Konta of Britain hits a forehand return to Zhang Shuai of China during their quarterfinal match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016.

Johanna Konta admitted her lack of experience proved crucial as her extraordinary run at the Australian Open was ended in the semi-finals by Angelique Kerber.

Kerber made just 16 unforced errors in her quarterfinal win against Victoria Azarenka, and once again had to fight off the mental yips in each set.

“A few years ago she’s a top player, and we practise together in Charleston; also we play doubles in Osaka”. Kerber broke Konta’s serve in the 11th game, and held in the next to take the set in 49 minutes.

The 24-year-old Reid, who is ranked No. 4 in the world, says “I’m absolutely thrilled to get through – he’s a legend of our game”.

“I’m really looking forward to playing against Serena in the final”, Kerber said.

As Williams prepares for her seventh Australian Open final and 26th major final overall, Kerber has an added incentive in her first Grand Slam final in Melbourne – protecting Graf’s record of 22 Grand Slam titles, which Serena would tie with another victory here. “I don’t feel fresh as a daisy”, she said. I think she’s one of the, if not the most consistent player on the tour and that’s no secret.

I mean, who is in the semis played very good four matches actually, or five matches. “They’ve been staying up all ridiculous times of the morning”, Konta said during her on-court TV interview Wednesday.

Her winning run continued as she went on to become the first British woman to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final since 1984 after beating 21st seed Ekaterina Makarova.

But the Brit’s inability to make her bigger serve count against a superb returner, coupled with errors at crucial times, saw the pendulum swing in the favour of Kerber.

The German started off the match with two emphatic breaks of serve, leaping ahead to a 3-0 lead while Konta, who was making her first main draw appearance in Melbourne, showed signs of nerves early on. I am a top player right now.

“I created a lot of opportunities, but then I was not good enough on my opportunities”.

The last British woman to reach the semis of a grand slam was Jo Durie at the 1983 U.S. Open.

With Djokovic leading by two sets and serving at 2-3, Federer finally got his first break points of the match. “Sorry if you guys think it’s bad”.

World number one Williams plays fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska in the other semi-final.

“It’s really, really good for tennis on the back end of previous year with the Davis Cup as well”.

“I was more aggressive when it was 2-5, but I was just telling myself to forget the score and just go for it and try to play the best I can play”.

Murray appeared to grab his left hamstring in pain during the second set but the world number two suggested it was an issue of fatigue rather than any muscular injury. “The Germans must be together”, she laughed.

After her win at the WTA Finals in October and a title in Shenzhen at the beginning of the month, Radwanska came into the tournament ranked No. 4.