Germany's Kerber to face Briton Konta in bid for Melbourne final

Melbourne, Jan. 27, (GNA/dpa) - Seventh seed Angelique Kerber will test herself against Aussie-born Brit Johanna Konta in the semi-finals of the Australian Open after both women had straight-sets successes on Wednesday.

Kerber, winner of four trophies in 2015, fought back from 2-5 down in the second set to post a 6-3, 7-5 knockout of two-time champion Victoria Azarenka, becoming the first German woman into a Melbourne semi-final in nearly two decades.

The last German to reach the final four at Melbourne Park was Anke Huber in 1998.

Konta reached the semis of a major for the first time after two career-best, fourth-round showings last season as she ended the Cinderella run of Chinese qualifier Zhang Shuai 6-4, 6-1.

Konta needed 48 minutes to earn the opening set against her number 133 opponent and, after three breaks of serve to start the second set, sprinted home for the win.

Konta was handed a third match point through a Zhang double-fault, with the 24-year-old Briton converting thanks to a netcord bounce to earn her spot.

"I've just been taking it one match at a time - one point at a time," said Konta, beaten in the first round of qualifying a year ago. "She didn't make easy for me today."

"When I got ahead, she was constantly there. I'm not proud of the let cord, but I'm happy that I fought for every single point.

"I tried not to let the fact that it was a quarter-final get on my nerves, I didn't put anything on the occasion. I just tried to play to the best level that I could."

Kerber, the seventh seed who has never advanced this far at Melbourne Park after semi-finals in 2011 at the US Open and the next summer at Wimbledon, has never faced Konta.

The German lifted her game to mount her fightback against Azarenka, winning with a return at Azaranka's feet that the Belarus player was unable to save.

"I told myself just to play like we were on the practice court. Just go for it and believe you can beat her," Kerber said.

The 14th-seeded Azarenka had won all six of their previous encounters, but Kerber did not let history get in the way of her upset.

"I can't describe it in words. I'm just so happy to win for the first time. I was trying to play well from the first point, moving good and being more aggressive than the last two times I played her.

"It's just an amazing, incredible feeling."
As Kerber trailed 5-2 after winning an opening set lasting three-quarters of an hour, the seed brought herself back to life.

"I told myself just to forget the score, just play, got for it and try to play the best you can. It's amazing to be in a semi-final here for the first time. In the next round, no matter who the opponent, I'll try to play my game like today."

Added Azarenka: "I should be disappointed. That's fair enough to be disappointed after a match like this.

"I'm going to be disappointed today. I'm going to be pissed off. I'm going to let myself have that. But overall it's not going to affect me in any way because I know the work that I put through, it's paying off."

GNA