Serena ousts Konta to set up Lucic-Baroni reunion

Reuters: Serena Williams remained on course for her 23rd grand slam title by quelling the challenge of in-form Briton Johanna Konta 6-2 6-3 to reach the semi-finals of the Australian Open for the eighth time on Wednesday.

The 35-year-old American served up 10 aces and thumped 25 winners over 75 minutes on Rod Laver Arena to join sister Venus in the last four, where she will play Croatian Mirjana Lucic-Baroni.

Ninth seed Konta, who reached the semi-finals here last year and won the Sydney warm-up tournament, managed a single break in the second set but was unable to cope with the power of the world number two.

Williams succeeded in finding the target on less than half of her first serves but cleaned up the points on 88% of the occasions when she did.

Furious with herself at times because of her inaccuracy, Williams channelled the anger to overcome 25-year-old Konta and reach her 34th grand slam semi-final without having given up a set in five matches. 

Williams said she was delighted to be facing 34-year-old, Lucic-Baroni, some 18 years after their only two previous meetings in 1998.“It’s really amazing, 30 is the new 10,” Serena added. “I’m so proud of Mirjana, she has been playing so well.

“We played over a decade ago, nearly two decades ago.  She’s been playing two decades. No matter what happens, someone 34 or older will be in the final, so that’s great.”