Konta wins 6-4,6-1 after overcoming a nervous patch in the first set
Now meets Germany’s Angelique Kerber in the semi-final
No British female player has reached slam final since Virginia Wade
Johanna Konta had to conquer nerves she thought she had long buried to defeat the Chinese qualifier Zhang Shuai 6-4, 6-1 in an hour and 22 minutes in Melbourne on Wednesday and stands one win absent from fitting the first female British finalist in a slam since Virginia Wade won Wimbledon in 1977.“I didn’t feel I did much wrong, or ” Konta said afterwards. She definitely raised her level and made me work for it. It was a great battle to be a part of.” Victory earned her a semi-final against the German Angelique Kerber,who earlier on Laver Arena pulled off a surprise 6-3, 7-5 win over Victoria Azarenka, and who was seeded 14th after coming back from injury,but playing way above that to this point.
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Source: theguardian.com