That just about wraps things up then, on a historic day for British women’s tennis. Johanna Konta’s fairytale run continues, and now the question must be: where will it end?
Thanks for joining me today. Andy Murray’s up next, hoping to make it a Brit one-two in the mens’ draw with his match against David Ferrer. You can follow that one with Jonathan Howcroft by clicking the link below, but from me, it’s goodbye for now.
More from Konta, courtside: “I really enjoyed [the match]. You guys made a lot of noise. I didn’t put anything on the occasion, just played the best I could. I’m pretty sure my parents at home are looking for me to go home so they can get some sleep.”
“She didn’t make it easy for me today,” says Konta. “Every time I got a little ahead she was there.”
Indeed, credit should go to Zhang, whose run will be remembered for some time. But today is about Konta. And possibly tomorrow too, when she will aim to win through to the semis.
On her next opponent, Angelique Kerber, she says: “It will be my first match against her. She’s top 10, she’s an incredibly successful and decorated player and competitor.”
Game, set and match! Konta wins 6-4, 6-1
Second set: Konta 6-1 Zhang
Ooof! Again, a Konta groundstroke is the difference! This time a devastating backhand winner sets up match point. An unforced error from the Brit though means she’ll have to wait... but not for long. Konta claims a famous win, with a little help from a net cord, on her second match point! What a result for British tennis! She moves into the semi-finals of the Australian Open, where she will meet Angelique Kerber.
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Second set: Konta 5-1 Zhang* (* denotes next server); Konta leads one set to love
Konta kicks off the game with an ace but things don’t quite go according to plan after that and she’s forced to save a break point chance for Zhang before she eventually gets back on track. And she claims the game when Zhang can only find the net with her backhand! One more and Konta will be an Australian Open quarter-finalist!
Second set: *Konta 4-1 Zhang (* denotes next server); Konta leads one set to love
Ooof! What a return by Konta on Zhang’s second serve. She’s got one heck of a powerful forehand, has the Brit. That makes it 30-30, and it’s soon 30-40 as Konta brings up break point with a delightful dropshot. And Konta gets it as Zhang volleys into the net! She’s nearly there! Just two more games and she’ll be in a grand slam semi-final.
Second set: Konta 3-1 Zhang* (* denotes next server); Konta leads one set to love
Zhang is frustrated with herself as a baseline shot sails long, giving Konta the chance to hold serve. She does exactly that, moving in on a fortunate net cord to push Zhang wide before a smash leaves the Chinese with no chance to returning. That could prove to be a big hold for Konta, and it’s going to take quite some performance from Zhang to come back from here now. That’s not to say she’s not capable of such a thing, mind.
Second set: *Konta 2-1 Zhang (* denotes next server); Konta leads one set to love
Serving is supposed to be an advantage, right? Well, not in the second of this Australian Open quarter-final apparently. Konta breaks Zhang again after the Chinese plays a sloppy game. Three games in, three breaks of serve.
Second set: Konta 1-1 Zhang* (* denotes next server); Konta leads one set to love
One break apiece early in this second set with Konta unable to build on that opening game. She aces – her sixth of the match so far – but it’s not enough to help her and Zhang ensure the second set gets back on serve.
Second set: *Konta 1-0 Zhang (* denotes next server); Konta leads one set to love
Having spent a great deal of energy in that final game of the first set, Zhang seems have developed something of a hangover. She starts the second set sluggishly and with no Berocca on hand to help, Konta takes full advantage, breaking with a backhand winner to draw first blood!
First set: Konta 6-4 Zhang* (* denotes next server); Konta leads one set to love
Errors from both players litter this game, as perhaps nerves begin to take their toll. The Guardian’s tennis correspondent Kevin Mitchell agrees, in regards to Konta, at least. “The old nerves have resurfaced,” he says from his position next to Russell. Certainly there isn’t the same conviction in her shotmaking that we’ve seen earlier on today. A fourth set point goes begging, and then a fifth. A couple of double faults are thrown in the mix before finally, Konta fires a winner to take the first set!
First set: *Konta 5-4 Zhang (* denotes next server)
Zhang seems to take inspiration from that break of serve, going 40-15 up before Konta shows some lovely soft hands to volley a winner on an angle at the net. That’s about as good as it gets for Johanna though, and Zhang serves and volleys to seal the game. A loud scream and another clenched fist follows. That really meant something to the Chinese player. Still, Konta will again try to serve for the set now.
First set: Konta 5-3 Zhang* (* denotes next server)
That’s a great forehand winner from Zhang though, breaking a run of nine straight points lost to level at 15-15. It sets the tone and the Chinese goes on to bring up a break point, which Konta saves with a winner. From there, she has her chances to finish Zhang off, but can’t quite manage to. The Chinese saves three set points before Konta serves up two double faults to lose the game. A disappointing end to proceedings.
Just a quick note on some technological problems we’re currently experience at the Guardian – in a nutshell nothing is publishing at the moment. People (at least I assume they’re people) are working tirelessly to get it fixed, but in the meantime, it means no one will be reading this in real time. I’m only writing in the hope that things kick into life soon enough and you’re able to catch up on what has happened previously. What a time for this to happen. Apologies.
First set: *Konta 5-2 Zhang* (* denotes next server)
Wow, Konta has won eight points straight now – that’s two straight games, this latest one on Zhang’s serve. Very, very comfortable at the moment. She’ll now serve for the first set, with new balls, for what it’s worth.
First set: Konta *4-2 Zhang (* denotes next server)
Konta looks relaxed and calm out there and it’s mirrored in her play. He has Zhang scrambling about on a few points here, on her way to a love service game. It’s wrong, but Konta fans will be hard pressed not to dare to dream at the moment.
First set: Konta 3-2 Zhang* (* denotes next server)
Zhang has to dig deep to find her inner aggression but she finds it, letting out a huge roar of celebration, coupled with a Hewitt-esque clenched fist, to bring up game point. She wins it, and is still hanging on Konta’s coattails.
Russell again, at Rod Laver Arena. “OK, the biggest celeb in the crowd is former Brisbane Lions captain Jonathan Brown. He hasn’t been poleaxed by anybody. Yet.” You might not get that if you’re a British Konta fan. Ask an Aussie for an explanation.
First set: *Konta 3-1 Zhang (* denotes next server)
Konta booms down a second ace of the match – another one down the T – and so far her serve is working well for her. Zhang hits the net to bring up game point for Konta, who then secures it with a delightful lob over Zhang, who had made a sortie to the net. That break of serve is consolidated and Konta’s looking good!
First set: *Konta 2-1 Zhang (* denotes next server)
The first break opportunity of the match falls Konta’s way but the Sydney-born Brit (did we mention she was born in Australia? Really?) wastes the chance with a loose forehand that goes out. She soon gets another chance though and she goes after Zhang’s second serve, forcing the Chinese into a wayward backhand! Konta breaks! It’s an encouraging start for her.
First set: Konta 1-1 Zhang* (* denotes next server)
So, here goes Konta with the ball in her hand for the first time. Cue the commentators’ opinions on her “unique” service action (“its almost like a nervous tick, but it works for her” etc). That’s good analysis – it does work for her here, an ace down the T sealing a comfortable game for the Brit.
Guardian Australia deputy sport editor Russell Jackson reports from courtside: “Zero atmosphere here and the place is about 1/3 full.”
First set: *Konta 0-1 Zhang (* denotes next server)
Zhang, the Chinese who has accounted for Halep, Cornet, Lepchenko and Keys this tournament, serves first and she’s off to a flier, racing to a 40-0 lead before eventually getting on the scoreboard with the loss of just one point. Konta with two unforced errors in that opening game.
The players are out on court, warming up. The sun is out and we’ll be ready to get going soon enough.
Preamble
Hello, good afternoon, good evening and good morning to you whenever you are in the world. It’s 1pm in a sunny Melbourne, where Brit Johanna Konta, her nation’s new darling, is hoping to make even more history when she meets Zhang Shuai for a place in the semi-finals of the Australian Open.
That last bit needs repeating – a place in the semi-finals of the Australian Open. Can you believe it? Konta’s run at this year’s first grand slam has been nothing short of remarkable, catapulting British women’s tennis onto the front pages and capturing the imagination of a nation.
Konta’s not alone is surprising a few people though – her opponent’s performances in Melbourne have stunned fans and critics alike. Who would have thought we’d be watching a last-eight match on Rod Laver Arena featuring the names of Konta and Zhang?
Here’s something for sure: one fairytale will end today and another will continue. The question is, who gets to pen another chapter? We’ll find out soon enough. Feel free to get in touch during the match today, on the email address above or @mike_hytner.
Hello. Mike will be along shortly as Johanna Konta and Zhang Shuai battle it out for a shock semi-final place. You’ve probably heard about Konta’s remarkable rise to become British No1 and a top 50 player, but what of Zhang, her unheralded opponent? Let Les Roopanarine give you the lowdown:
Two summers ago there were only 29 women in the world better at tennis than Zhang Shuai, the Chinese qualifier who will face Britain’s Johanna Konta in the last eight of the Australian Open. Zhang reached her career-high ranking on 7 July 2014, shortly after a tenacious run to the last four on the grass courts of Edgbaston. It was her third semi-final that year and it came barely a month after she had made the quarter-finals in Rome. Life was good.
Yet 18 months on, at an age when most athletes are approaching their prime, the 27-year-old from Tianjin touched down in Melbourne with friends and family in tow and retirement on her mind. After failing to maintain her rise Zhang’s ranking had slumped to No133 and she was struggling to make ends meet.
Where did it all go wrong? Well, Zhang’s was always a singular success. One would expect a player ranked as high as No30 to have caused the odd ripple at grand slam level. Zhang is different: before the start of what has snowballed into a fairytale campaign in Australia she had played 14 majors without registering a victory.
You can read more here.
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