The victory put Konta into the semi-finals, making her the first British woman to reach that stage at a grand slam tournament since Jo Durie at the 1983 US Open.
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Britain’s Gordon Reid sensationally knocked out Japan’s world number one Shingo Kunieda in straight sets to reach his first Australian Open men’s wheelchair singles semi-final at Melbourne Park.
The 24-year-old was 100-1 to win the tournament before the start but she is now at 14-1 – and just 2/1 to win a Grand Slam at any point during her career.
But rather than getting carried away with the possibility of becoming the first British woman to lift a grand slam trophy since Virginia Wade at Wimbledon 39 years ago, Konta played down her unexpected run. She now faces Germany’s Angelique Kerber in the semi-finals.
Ferrer came into the match as the only man in the draw not to have dropped a set but the 33-year-old was outclassed by Murray’s attacking prowess, particularly after the roof was closed in the third set following some nearby thunder and lightning.
The No. 2-seeded Murray, who has lost four finals at Melbourne Park, will have to wait until later Wednesday to find out whether he’ll play Milos Raonic or Gael Monfils in a semifinal Friday.
It was Murray’s sixth Australian Open semi-final and 18th overall in the Grand Slams, as he attempts to go one better after finishing runner-up at four of the last six editions in Melbourne.
Buis secured the decisive break of serve to clinch a 7-6, 4-6, 6-4 victory, to set up an all Dutch semi-final match against Jiske Griffioen after the defending champion beat Britain’s Lucy Shuker 7-5, 6-2.
“It’s my first time to the semi-finals here”.
“Every time I got a little ahead, she was constantly there”, Konta would later surmise.
“And I’m very proud of Jamie of course”. I just need to keep going that way and work harder, be as professional as I am.
“I was just taking it one match at a time”, said Konta, who will now break into the world’s top 30.
Born in Australia but living in Britain since her early teens, Konta also has Hungarian citizenship and calls herself a “tri-citizen”. 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. She has no WTA titles to her name, although has won 11 ITF titles, the circuit below the WTA. Murray has made the final of the Australian Open four times since 2010.
Fast forward a fortnight and Zhang has shelved any retirement plans – famously revealed after a first-round win over world No. 2 Simona Halep – and instead is looking to the Olympic Games.
She tried to get back into the contest in the second set to force a third, but Kerber was not going to be denied on this day. But they’ve been unbelievably supportive of the actions we’ve taken. Ideally I would have played the next game and held and then had the break.
“I like playing indoors”. Doesn’t matter win, lose today, just keep going.
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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.
