The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Konta recovers from fall to join Watson in Eastbourne semis
Johanna Konta followed victory over the reigning French Open champion by recovering from a fall to defeat the world No 1 on the same day at the Aegon International.
The 26-year-old had already impressed at Eastbourne in defeating Jelena Ostapenko 7-5 3-6 6-4 and was on her third match point against Angelique Kerber when she slipped, banged her head on the court and remained motionless for around five minutes.
With a wet towel placed around her forehead and her both screaming and crying, she appeared at risk of having to default the match on the brink of the semi-finals.
Following a stoppage of almost 10 minutes, Konta then recovered, earned a fourth match point, and broke Kerber to secure a 6-3 6-4 victory, continuing her promising form in the build-up to Wimbledon.
She joined in the semi-finals fellow Briton Heather Watson, who had won her second match of the day only minutes earlier.
Like Watson, owing to rain delays on Tuesday and Wednesday, Konta was faced with the prospect of playing twice in the same afternoon in her pursuit of a place in the final four.
Next week she will compete as the first British woman ranked in the world’s top 10 at Wimbledon since 1984.
In the other semi-final, the 25-year-old Watson will meet Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki.
She had already beaten defending champion Dominika Cibulkova to progress into the final eight to, with Konta, emulate the 1975 feat of Virginia Wade and Glynis Cole of being one of two British female quarter-finalists.
And to book a semi-final place she saw off Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 6-1 1-6 6-4.