Azarenka too strong for Konta

Johanna Konta fell short in her bid to make the Western & Southern Open final after she was beaten by Victoria Azarenka.

Konta drew first blood in the semi- final but the twot i me grand s l am winner came back to win 4- 6, 6- 4, 6- 1 and set up a final against Naomi Osaka in New York.

It ends a positive week for the British No 1, who was aiming to make her ninth career final, as she looked somewhere back to her best.

Although Konta will be disappointed not to be contesting the final, her defeat does at least give her the weekend off ahead of next week’s US Open, where she has to be considered one of the contenders for the grand slam.

Japan’s Osaka beat Elise Mertens of Belgium 6- 2, 7- 6 ( 5) in the other semi- final.