Angelique Kerber has won the first set 7-5 in her Australian Open semifinal against Johanna Konta.
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Konta is the first British female in a grand slam semi-final since Jo Durie at the 1983 US Open and the first at the Australian Open since Sue Barker in 1977.
Konta, the self-professed “female Jason Bourne”, has tackled many a foreign foe in recent months and, despite this defeat, she takes only positives from a glorious tournament, which will see her break the world’s top 30 and be seeded at the French Open.
But Azarenka lost the plot serving for the set, throwing away three set points and blasting a double fault to gift Kerber a game back.
Left-hander Angelique Kerber awaits Konta in the semi-finals on Thursday. “I was able to practice with her a few days just before Indian Wells previous year”, Kerber said.
Despite being furious at herself for failing to show the killer intinct, 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.
World No2 Andy Murray toasted a landmark day for British tennis after he and Johanna Konta ended the country’s 39-year wait to have both men’s and women’s semi-finalists at the same grand slam. Konta was in command as it finished 6-1.
BELARUSIAN IMPLODES Williams brushed aside Maria Sharapova in her quarterfinal and faces Agnieszka Radwanska today for a place in the decider.
Kerber went down a break in the second set before winning five consecutive games and saving five set points before beating Azarenka, her first win in seven matches against the Belarussian.
Konta is playing in her first Australian Open main draw, after losing in qualifying rounds three years in a row.
“She’s top 10. She’s an incredibly decorated and successful competitor and player. I really learnt – not necessarily learnt but reinforced the good old saying of being comfortable being uncomfortable”, Konta told a press conference.
Kerber is a renowned fighter and the quality shone through as she battled back from 2-5 down in the second set against a player who has been in ominous form this season.
But the top-ranked Djokovic then raced to 5-1 lead and after Federer held serve to make the score 5-2, Djokovic served out the last game without dropping a point. She is unseeded at the tournament, while Zhang is a qualifier. That’s all you need to accept about that. Arguably she is the greatest women’s player of all time.
As the Briton’s error count climbed, the German pounced to go 4-1 in front, screaming “C’mon!” as her opponent hit a weak forehand into the net.
Williams said she hasn’t thought about getting to 22 grand slam titles, pointing out that when she thought of 18 and tying legends Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, it stressed her out.
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.
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She became a local favorite when Melbourne Park fans learned she had been born in Sydney, Australia to Hungarian parents and moved as a teen to England, where she obtained citizenship in 2012.
