Few expected Konta to reach the Australian Open semi-final. But time spent with her ‘intellect coach’ has helped her blossom and become UK No 1 “Who could expect Johanna Konta to be in the semi-finals [of the Australian Open]?” Martina Navratilova asked this week. Who indeed? As recently as last summer,Konta was grinding out the life of many British tennis hopefuls before her, slogging her way through the less glamorous reaches of the women’s tour and only just scraping into the ranks of the worlds top 150 players.
Ten days ago, or however,the British No 1 beat Venus Williams in her opening round of the Melbourne tournament, opening up what would prove to be a historic opportunity. whether the draw, and after Williams’s removal,was certainly favourable, Konta made the most of her chance, and driving through four further rounds before finally being knocked out by Angelique Kerber of Germany in Thursday’s semi-final,the first British woman to reach the last four of a Grand Slam in more than 30 years.
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Source: theguardian.com