Konta hopes ended by Kerber in semis

Johanna Konta’s superb Australian Open run came to an end with defeat by German seventh seed Angelique Kerber in the semi-finals.

Konta, the first British woman for 33 years to play in a Grand Slam semi-final, went down 7-5 6-2 in Melbourne.

“I played against a better player today who earned her right to a Grand Slam final,” said the British number one.

The 24-year-old collects £370,000 in prize money, while her ranking is set to jump from 47 to inside the top 30.

Kerber goes on to face world number one Serena Williams, who took just 64 minutes to thrash Polish fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska 6-0 6-4.

The American, 34, is the defending champion and is chasing a seventh Australian Open and 22nd Grand Slam title.

Konta errors count her out

The Briton made a nervous start and could not stem a flow of errors that kept the pressure off Kerber.

Konta ended the match with 36 unforced errors to the German’s 11, having dropped serve five times over an hour and 22 minutes.

She looked every bit the debutante at this level as she slipped 3-0 down, with Kerber – twice a Grand Slam semi-finalist – hardly required to do anything but keep the ball in play in the early stages.

There was real hope for Konta when she found some rhythm and clawed her way back to lead 5-4 in the first set, but Kerber broke again at 5-5 and would lose just two more games.

‘I’m really hungry to keep improving’

Konta was staying upbeat after her loss, insisting: “I don’t think I missed an opportunity.”

She felt Kerber simply played better, adding there were a lot of positives to take from her straight-sets defeat.

“I’m really hungry to keep improving and keep enjoying what I’m doing,” she said. “So that’s where I’m at.

“I just will go back, keep working hard, keep improving the things that I want to improve and keep enjoying what I’m doing.”

‘She will only get better’

Konta’s progress over the last 12 months has been described as “phenomenal” by GB Davis Cup captain Leon Smith.

“Jo should be so proud of herself, the way she’s played and handled herself,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live. “Yes, she’ll be disappointed today, but she probably can’t wait to get going again.”

Jo Durie, Britain’s last female Grand Slam semi-finalist, and former British number one Greg Rusedski both tweeted praise for Konta.

Rusedski, who reached the US Open final in 1997,wrote: “Great run for @JoKonta91 getting to the semifinals of a GS for the first time. Now into the top 30 in the world. She will only get better.”

Analysis

BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller:

Johanna Konta says she has learnt to ‘feel comfortable being uncomfortable’ during her run to the semi-final.

The experience of winning five Grand Slam matches in a row and working through some stressful periods will stand her in great stead.

She will be 28 in the world when the rankings are updated on Monday and has very few points to defend until the grass-court season begins in June, so she has an excellent chance of being seeded for both the French Open and Wimbledon.

She has also earned the right to play in any tournament she chooses to, anywhere in the world.

It has been a phenomenal performance by a player, who before her run to the fourth round of the US Open last September, had only ever won one match in a Grand Slam main draw.

Williams crushes Radwanska

Radwanska was on a 13-match winning run, but she had lost all eight previous meetings with Williams and was again overwhelmed.

Williams was utterly dominant in the first set, her power advantage most obvious as she demolished the 5ft 8in Pole’s serve, winning 12 of 16 return points as she took it in 20 minutes.

The American’s form fell away in the second set, allowing Radwanska to recover from 3-1 down with four straight games that roused a crowd sympathetic to the Pole’s plight.

But Radwanska missed a forehand to drop serve at 4-4 and Williams, despite racking up 13 errors to four in the first set, found three aces in a row on her way to serving out the match.

“I’m really excited to be in another final, it kind of blows my mind right now,” said Williams.

Radwanska added that it would difficult for anyone to stop Williams.

“If she’s playing her best tennis, it’s a big difference,” she said. “I don’t think anyone can really play on that level.”

But Kerber responded: “I’m really looking forward to playing Serena in the final. I have nothing to lose and will give it everything.”
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Jamie Murray into doubles final

Britain’s Jamie Murray is through to his third consecutive Grand Slam doubles final after he and partner Bruno Soares won their Australian Open semi-final in straight sets.

The Scottish-Brazilian pairing saw off France’s Lucas Pouille and Adrian Mannarino 6-3 6-1 in Melbourne.

They will face Canada’s 43-year-old Daniel Nestor and 37-year-old Czech Radek Stepanek in Saturday’s final.

Murray reached the Wimbledon and US Open finals with John Peers in 2015.

“I’m starting to get the hang of this game, I think,” said Murray.

“It took me a long time to understand what it took to win, and to perform at optimum level every time you step on the court.

“I’ve been lucky, I had a great partner for the last few years in John Peers and now starting a new journey with Bruno here.

“It’s been a great two weeks for us and hopefully with one more match we can get over the final hurdle.”

Murray, 29, is the first Briton through to a final in a successful tournament for British tennis.

Johanna Konta lost in the women’s singles semi-finals, while Andy Murray, Jamie’s younger brother, plays Milos Raonic in the men’s last four on Friday.

“Somebody must be doing something right over in the UK,” said Jamie Murray.

“It’s been great. Andy’s obviously been doing amazing things for a long time and what Jo’s done this week has been quite unbelievable.”

Murray, who split with Australian Peers at the end of last season, won the Sydney International title with Soares in the build-up to the Australian Open.

Soares, 33, is a two-time Grand Slam mixed doubles champion and through to his second men’s doubles final, having finished runner-up at the 2013 US Open with Alexander Peya.

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Federer, Djokovic Set To Resume Storied Rivalry

Federer, Djokovic Set To Resume Storied Rivalry

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Raonic on Warhol, Weiwei and winning

Standing in Andy Murray’s way of another Australian Open final is 6’5″ big-hitting Canadian Milos Raonic.

And the man with the monster serve has revealed he has a unique preparation method for his run to the semi-final – art.

Speaking after victory over Frenchman Gael Monfils, Canadian Raonic revealed a trip to a Melbourne museum helped him focus on the quarter-final match-up.

“I saw a lot of Andy Warhol exhibits before,” said the 25-year-old. “It was more of the Ai Weiwei installations I wanted to see, especially the Infinite Bicycle one that was in the centre of the museum.

“It was magnificent in many ways. I think that whatever iteration you see of Andy Warhol’s life has been redefined over many years due to his unfortunate passing, but Weiwei’s story is constantly building and you’re hearing something different.

“There is a lot I’m learning about his house arrest and all these kind of things, his rebel behaviour towards establishment and so forth.

“I think the most impressive thing is how grand his installations are. It’s tough for somebody to put it in their own home, but they speak wonders I believe.”

Raonic beat 2014 Australian Open winner Stan Wawrinka in a five-set fourth-round thriller on Monday and the 13th seed said the progress on his mental game was key to that victory.

“It’s something I’m getting better with. I can be very obsessive when it comes to the process and what I need to do for the next match. I am constantly considering things.

“[Going to an art gallery] was definitely a nice escape from myself. I got to participate in something that I really enjoy and a passion that’s definitely grown for me over the last two years.”

The only question now is: What would Raonic make of the dog portraits painted by Murray’s wife Kim?

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Female Bourne – GB's new tennis hope

Australian born, proudly British, thriving down under.

“Actually I am a tri-citizen, I’ve got a Hungarian passport as well. I’m pretty much the female version of Jason Bourne.”

Like fictional action-hero Bourne, Johanna Konta is proving herself capable of stunts to wow an audience.

Now an Australian Open semi-finalist, this Eastbourne resident has practically doubled her career prize money in under two weeks and left Australia wondering how they let her get away.

Konta’s career has taken her from Sydney to Eastbourne – via Gijon, Texas and Barcelona. Now, her own all-action production is gathering pace and even Bourne might not be able to handle her.

Turned away for being too good

Konta’s run makes her the first British woman to reach the last four of a Grand Slam since Jo Durie in 1983 and her formative years offered hope of a rise to stardom.

“Her parents brought her to my academy in 2005 but I said she’s too good, too strong and told her where she needed to go to train next,” said Justin Sherring, director of the Weybridge Tennis Academy.

Konta – 14 at the time – had just touched down in the UK after her Hungarian parents moved so father Gabor could take a job at the Marriot Hotel in London’s Docklands.

Eastbourne became home – and still is – but spells in academies in Spain and the US showed Konta’s will to move around in order to hone game.

“The first thing that struck me was she was really bubbly and enthusiastic,” added Sherring, who eventually coached Konta for a spell in 2010. “I’m not surprised at what she has done. Top players have that something different about them. She is incredibly passionate about the sport.”

Sacrifice, self analysis – and some What’s App

Konta – now British number one – has stated she once made her elder half-sister cry during a game of Monopoly.

Behind the humility she shows during warm interviews on court sits an obsession with becoming a better player.

“The only difference between try and triumph is a little oomph” reads a quote on her Twitter account.

Form has undoubtedly picked up since her LTA funding was cut last year- perhaps showing the defiance that burns inside Konta – who said the move “jeopardised” her career.

And self analysis at the highest level of sport can unearth tough realities. In attempting to battle anxiety during matches, Konta appointed a mental coach by the name of Juan Coto, who aids her with sessions via Skype or What’s App.

“You need to be humble, and to accept that a mental coach can help you,” Coto told the BBC. “You also need to be courageous to try different ways of thinking and behaving.”

Building a tight network

All of these things – the right coach, the right base, the right mindset – take time to harness. At 24, Konta has years left to make them pay.

It is reported her boyfriend is hitting partner Kether Clouder, offering a friendship, support and perhaps much needed distraction from the game during long spells on Tour.

“I think the package around her has really helped her to be much more in control of what she wants to do on the court,” said Fed Cup team captain Judy Murray. “You can go out and do relatively normal things and I think that helps you to stay much more emotionally stable.”

Konta’s Twitter account offers plenty of images of family gatherings.

Her father Gabor – who now works at Ashdown Park Hotel and Country Club, in East Grinstead – and mum Gabriella, a dentist, have refused to speak to media during the Australian Open. A clear focus on staying humble, focused and private seems to run though Team Konta.

She’s Eastbourne and they love it

Konta does not own a home, she says if she did she would happily remortgage it to see one of her music loves – U2.

But the lack of a mortgage does not weaken her ties with Eastbourne, where a pride in her professional exploits exists among the community in the south-coast seaside resort.

Groups of school girls attended the Devonshire Park Lawn Tennis Club to watch her quarter-final win over China’s Zhang Shuai, while the local newspaper – The Eastbourne Hearald – led their website with news of her win.

And Konta still relies on a local dealership to supply her Peugeot.

Simple interests

If not playing, enjoying her mum’s cooking in Eastbourne or being honed by coaches Esteban Carril and Jose-Manuel Garcia in Gijon, northern Spain, Konta will probably be found enjoying ice cream and listening to music.

“I play tennis during the day. Would love to go to concerts most nights. I take gelato very seriously,” reads her Twitter bio.

Van Morrison’s music is a particular love and in what seems anything but a standard relationship for a finely-tuned athlete, her passion for ice cream has led to some sponsorship from an Italian manufacturer.

A return to Australia? A flash in the pan?

The stunning run in Melbourne contrasts Konta’s previous Grand Slam performances, where she has five first-round exits in eight attempts.

But this is no one-off display according to Sherring, who says his former pupil is “where she deserves to be”.

“She looks like she believes in what she is,” he added. “She just looks much more confident, winning makes you feel good.”

The Sydney Morning Herald has been left asking how Konta slipped away from Australia, referencing she had spent “three years in English fog” by the time she reached 11th in the world junior rankings in 2008.

Australia would love to have her back.

“My home is Great Britain,” Konta told one reporter. “It has been for a long time now, over a decade. That’s where my heart is.”

Hard luck, Australia. Great Britain is closing in on being home to a first female Grand Slam winner since 1977.

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