Konta had lost her only two matches of the year coming into the tournament but any doubts about her form were quickly dispelled after she dismantled childhood hero Williams, the eighth seed, in straight sets on Rod Laver Arena.
Advertisement
But the Briton fended it off and finally took the lead on her sixth set point with a big serve.
“Their coaches are going to go out and watch her matches, find her weaknesses and where she does not move so well on the court”.
Graf is the last German champion in Melbourne, winning the last of her four Australian titles in 1994.
Williams romped through the first set in just 20 minutes before Radwanska showed some fight in the second but she was unable to stop the momentum of the American, who clinched her place in the final in 64 minutes.
She reached the fourth round of last year’s U.S. Open, beating Wimbledon runner-up Garbine Muguruza en route, and arrived in Australia ranked 47th in the world.
Konta, who is making her debut in the main draw at the season’s first major, had a 6-4, 6-1 win over Chinese qualifier Zhang Shuai.
The women are all-embracing, unlike the men, whose Grand Slam semi-finals have become an old boys’ club.
German Angelique Kerber has advanced to her maiden grand slam final at the Australian Open where she will take on the might of history-chasing Serena Williams.
The dominant top seed was untouchable in overpowering the Pole in just 64 minutes.
Raonic says, “I’m learning about his house arrest and all these kind of things, his rebel behavior toward (the) establishment and so forth”.
“I’m feeling so exhausted”. “I definitely belong to Great Britain”. “She has to add more variety to her game to combat that”.
Since their first meeting in 2012, Azarenka – the bookmakers’ second favourite to win here after Serena Williams – had become the blemish on Kerber’s record that she could not blot out.
Williams converted at the first time of asking, driving a volley into the corner, before squatting on her feet and screaming in celebration as she stands on the brink of a seventh Australian Open triumph.
“I think I was a little bit too flat today”, Azarenka said.
Novak Djokovic has won the second set 6-2 of his semifinal against Roger Federer after taking the first 6-1.
“I must play my best tennis against her. I have nothing to lose and will give it everything and hopefully play good”.
Her grounded expectations have served her well over the past six months.
She has won fans at Melbourne Park with her athleticism and mental composure on the court and good humor and a polite humility in interviews after winning. That dream stays the same I think as long as you’re doing the career that you’re on. But I just might. She was a tough opponent and I’m sure she will win many tournaments.
Advertisement
Born and raised in Sydney, the surprise semifinalist at Melbourne Park this year has had to answer question after question about her citizenship and allegiance, which clearly states she plays for Great Britain, having lived there since the age of 14.
