Johanna Konta defeated Venus Williams for the third time in their four career meetings and advanced to the title match of the Miami Open, where she’ll face Caroline Wozniacki, who eliminated Karolina Pliskova after an epic turnaround in the first semifinal.
Trying to reach her fifth Miami final, the seed No.11 Williams started slow, with bad serve stats that translated into Konta’s 3-0 lead featuring two breaks. In the fourth game Williams broke back, but she never managed to get another break back and Konta won the set.
In the second set, Williams again struggled with her first serve and saved five break points before breaking the British number one to lead 3-1. Konta did claw back, earning a break to serve for the match at 5-4, but she was unable to close it out and Williams easily leveled. However, in the eleventh game, Williams served two double faults, allowed Konta to break at love and the tenth seed finished the job in the following game, 6-4 7-5.
Having secured a return to the Top 10, Konta is aware that her final obstacle Wozniacki is a great one: “I’m going to have a tough battle on my hands. Caroline, she makes you work for every single point.” (photo: Jimmie48)
I was rooting for Venus but Jo Konta improves every match she plays here in Miami. Jo Konta can win a slam this year.