Serena storms into seventh Australian Open final

But Kerber will still start as a huge underdog in Saturday’s title match against Williams, who has won all six of the Australian Open finals she has contested, including last year’s decider against Maria Sharapova. Williams will be aiming for her 22nd major title, tying her with another German, Steffi Graf.

Konta made 36 unforced errors to Kerber’s 11 in her straight-sets defeat but Barker believes that her rivals will be better prepared in the future. Williams hit 18 winners and Radwanska, in her fifth major semifinal, had one – in the fourth game.

Kerber, ranked No. 6 in the world, lost in the first round here last year and almost did so again this year, recovering after facing a match point in her opener against Misaki Doi. She was two matches away from a calendar-year Grand Slam in 2015 when she lost to Roberta Vinci in the U.S. Open semifinals.

“I played against a better player today who earned her right to a Grand Slam final”, said Konta as quoted from BBC.

The 34-year-old’s power is still too much to handle for all on tour, as she showed in a 6-0 6-4 win over Pole Agnieszka Radwanska in the semi-finals on Thursday.

“She definitely played with that little bit more experience than I did”, Konta said.

“I think she will go out there and she knows that she must play also good tennis to beat me”. “I think from then on out I’ve been really focused that she’s someone that I, and everyone, has to take very seriously”.

The rain that had descended on Melbourne prior to the first semi-final cleared prior to this match, meaning the roof on Rod Laver Arena was open.

“I definitely block it out”, Williams said.

“I’m just so happy that I’m enjoying what I’m doing”, said Konta after winning over Zhang.

Hours earlier at Rod Laver Arena, Serena Williams advanced to within one win of another Grand Slam milestone.

The pure dominance with which Serena Williams has reached the Australian Open final is frightening. Again, I haven’t won this one. “I feel like I could have done better in NY”, she said.

Kerber is yet to play Konta, the British world number 47 who failed to get through qualifying a year ago but has since risen 100 places in the rankings.

BRITS MURRAY, KONTA MOVE ON: In keeping with the way this Australian Open has been going, Andy Murray was asked following a quarterfinal win Wednesday about the state of his game. “I’m looking forward to many more opportunities like that”.

Konta, a 24-year-old playing in the main draw of the tournament for the first time, was the first British woman to reach a Grand Slam semifinal since 1983. “I don’t feel fresh as a daisy”, she said.

“I’ve had matches where I’ve played similar tennis”, said Djokovic, the top-ranked player in the world.

“I never thought I was going to go out and lose in the first round, but at the same time I never thought before, I’m going to make it to the final, or anything”.