MAGIC MONDAY
Murray and Konta end Britain’s 44-year wait by reaching last eight
ANDY MURRAY and Jo Konta maintained a glorious Wimbledon for Britain yesterday by cementing places in both the men’s and women’s Wimbledon singles quarter-finals for the first time in 44 years. Konta — who faces Simona Halep in the third match on Centre Court today — displayed nerves of steel to come through a tense three- set battle with France’s Caroline Garcia and become the first British woman in the last eight since Jo durie 33 years ago. Andy Murray then continued his quest for a third Wimbledon title, seeing off the maverick Frenchman Benoit Paire in straight sets on Centre Court.
‘That’s by far the best I have hit it this week,’ said a relieved Murray. ‘He’s not an easy guy to play.’
not since 1973, when roger Taylor and Virginia Wade made the last eight, have Britain had a representative in the last eight in the men’s and women’s competitions. Konta is the favourite to clinch the women’s title, on the 40th anniversary of Wade defeating Betty Stove.
Murray’s path to the final may have been eased last night when rafael nadal — his potential
semi-final opponent — was beaten 15-13 in the fifth set of an epic battle with the unheralded Gilles Muller of Luxembourg. There was needle ahead of Konta’s quarter-final today against Romanian Halep — who is clearly still irritated by the British No 1 leaving the court in tears when the two met in the Fed Cup in Constanta last April. Konta, 26, claimed at the time that she had been verbally abused by the crowd, after Romanian captain Ilie Nastase was censured over comments he made to her and Anne Keothavong. But Halep insisted last night the crowd had done nothing wrong. ‘In my opinion, the public was very fair,’ Halep said. ‘Some other stuff happened there.’ The No 2 seed — who argued with the umpire after the distressed Konta left the court — said she had not discussed the incident with the Briton. ‘I didn’t talk much about that subject with her. Just after the match that day, I said sorry if she felt bad,’ Halep said. ‘I don’t expect an emotional match. I expect a battle.’ Konta last night rejected Halep’s claim that the crowd had been ‘fair’. She said: ‘They were not in my shoes. They were not being verbally threatened.’ But she insisted the incident would not affect today’s match. ‘That’s many, many months ago now,’ she said. ‘I’m playing another tennis player. I’m not playing against a crowd.’