Konta fights back to down Halep

The seven-time Grand Slam champion from the United States completed a late comeback in the quarter-finals of the Wuhan Open, winning 6-4 3-6 7-5 to eliminate the British representative.

Johanna Konta served for the match, but Venus Williams fought back for a 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 triumph to set up a Wuhan semifinal versus Roberta Vinci.

Konta was no ordinary qualifier.

Konta was serving for the match with a 5-3 lead in the last set yet Williams, who battled on her serve all through, had the capacity channel her dissatisfactions and take the triumph.

“I can’t believe I’m standing here as victor”. I feel humbled that I get the chance to come back tomorrow to compete again. She’s always played well against me, too.

A brilliant little drop shot from Konta ended a lengthy rally on the first match point, but it only delayed the killer blow from Williams who breathed a huge sigh of relief upon sealing the win.

The 15th-seeded Italian saved three of four break points and took advantage of 30 unforced errors by the eighth-seeded Pliskova.

“It was two hours and 17 minutes of very, very tough tennis for me, ” Konta said in her on-court interview televised by BT Sport 1. “But I served well and I’m really happy I’m in the semifinals here in Wuhan for the first time-it’s incredible here, a nice city, nice court-it’s just really exciting for me”.

That rapid rise had come on the back of 20 wins in her past 21 matches. Having emerged victorious through three qualifying rounds to book her place in the main draw at Flushing Meadows, she then beat Louisa Chirico, Wimbledon finalist Garbine Muguruza and Andrea Petkovic before falling to fifth seed Petra Kvitova in straight sets. When Halep served for the match at 5-2, Konta hit a brilliant forehand victor and Halep double faulted to lose the game.

Sharapova’s withdrawal from the China Open leaves a question mark over whether she will be fit to play the year-ending WTA Finals in Singapore at the end of next month.

The only thing that can now stop her breaking into the top five is the title for Angelique Kerber, who has yet to play a seed in Wuhan.