Konta Through To Australian Open Semi

The 47th-ranked Konta, who dabbled in swimming and track before ultimately choosing tennis, is the first British woman to reach the Australian Open final four since Sue Barker 39 years ago. I mean, I will try to not thinking against who I’m playing.

The eighth game, however, saw a shift in momentum as Zhang, perhaps loosened up by her deficit, swung more freely while Konta, with the set in her grasp, grew tight.

Despite being furious at herself for failing to show the killer instinct, the 26-year-old said it will be forgotten as she continues her return from the injuries and personal issues that have hampered her career over the past two years.

With his brother Jamie having made the semi-finals of the men’s doubles, alongside Brazil’s Bruno Soares, it is the first time two brothers have reached the last four of the Australian Open.

Like the fictional Central Intelligence Agency assassin of the Bourne Identity films, Konta killed the hopes of seven-times grand slam champion Venus Williams and 2015 Melbourne Park semi-finalist Ekaterina Makarova on the way to becoming the first British woman to reach the last four of a major in 33 years.

Few would not have been moved by Zhang Shuai’s reaction when the qualifier won her opening round against second seed Simona Halep.

On Wednesday, just as Kerber began her match with Azarenka, the governing bodies of tennis announced they will commission an independent review of their anti-corruption unit to restore “public confidence in our sport”. “Nobody believed in her. Maybe only her parents, me and her fitness coach”, Liu said. “Just add that into the mix, guys”.

All jokes aside, she has no doubts about her identity.

“I am a tri-citizen… but I definitely belong to Great Britain”.

“And because we are Hungarian…European…passport holders, they made a decision to base themselves in Britain”. “It was their sacrifice for me”. “I really enjoyed it”.

Her semifinal opponent will be seventh-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany, a 6-3, 7-5 victor vs. 14th-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, a two-time Australian Open singles champ.

Murray entered Rod Laver Arena moments after Johanna Konta had departed a victor and he joined his compatriot in the last four with a 6-3 6-7 (5/7) 6-2 6-3 victory. Pinned to the baseline, she was reduced to retrieving for much of the first set. “That’s a deep question”.

“I was really just taking it one match at a time while I was here and, even more simply, a point at a time”, she told former British No. 1 Sam Smith during her on-court interview. I want to play better. And actually, the fact that I hit a yellow ball across the net in some lines gave me some peace also, to realize that I am also working on myself for post tennis.

“[I’m feeling] so exhausted”. Hopefully not for a number of years.

It is a remarkably measured approach from someone living every young player’s dream.

“Yeah, so many (friends) came to hug me”, Zhang said. This is so tough for me.

Her 27-year-old opponent Zhang has also been a surprise package in the first Grand Slam of the year.

“When you’re able to relate back, when you think back to being in certain situations and you have little replays in your mind – I’ve been here, I’ve been in a similar situation – I guess you take comfort from that. It would be silly for that to change”.