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Johanna Konta races into Australian Open semi-finals

British number one Johanna Konta beats Zhang Shuai in straight sets to reach the Australian Open semi-finals.

Johanna Konta has moved one match away from the Australian Open final with a straight-sets victory over Zhang Shuai.

The British number one produced another emphatic display in Melbourne to run out a 6-4 6-1 winner over her Chinese opponent in 83 minutes.

Johanna Konta serves in her quarter-final match against Zhang Shuai during day 10 of the 2016 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 27, 2016© Getty Images

Since her win over Venus Williams in the opening round, Konta has looked at ease on her first appearance at the tournament and it was no different against Zhang as she breezed into a 5-2 lead in the first set.

Zhang, also competing in her first Grand Slam quarter-final, showed plenty of resistance in saving five set points and creating break points to level the set at 5-5 but Konta delivered three timely first serves to eventually move closer to a last-four place.

The second set was relatively comfortable for Konta, who broke serve two more times to build a 5-1 lead before striking again on her third match point to seal a famous win, which sees the 24-year-old become the first British female representative to reach a major semi-final since 1983.

Konta will meet Angelique Kerber on Thursday after the seventh seed beat two-time champion Victoria Azarenka by a 6-3 7-5 scoreline.

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Johanna Konta of Great Britain reacts against Louisa Chirico of the United States during their Women's Singles First Round match on Day Two of the 2015 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 1, 2015
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