Venus Ends Konta’s Run to Reach Wuhan Semis

October 1, 2015 | By New York Tennis Magazine Staff
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Photo credit: Sidney Beal III @ Clique Photography

Venus Williams continued her run at the Wuhan Open on Thursday, moving past Great Britian’s Johanna Konta 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.

This matchup featured two of the hottest players heading in, as Konta had won 21 of her last 22 matches heading in and Venus is coming off of a quarterfinal run at the U.S. Open, but it was Venus who got the better of the two on Thursday.

Venus and Konta split the first two sets, and Konta had a chance to serve for the match at 5-3 in the deciding third set. But the unseeded American dug in and won the final four games to complete the mini-comeback and book her spot in the final four.

“I can’t believe I’m standing here as the winner,” Venus said. “Johanna played so well; she’s had a wonderful summer and beat so many players this tournament. It seemed like I was finished, but I felt the energy of the crowd behind me. I felt so good!

This is where I want to be: at the end of the tournament and playing a match for the finals.”

In her semifinal match, Venus will try and exact some revenge for her younger sister, Serena, as she takes on Italian Roberta Vinci, who beat Serena in the U.S. Open semifinals.

Vinci continued her stellar tennis, defeating eighth-seeded Czech Karolina Pliskova 7-6(2), 6-3 to reach the semifinals on Thursday. After taking the first set in a tie-breaker, Vinci jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second set and never looked back, beating Pliskova in straight sets.

“Today was another tough match,” said Vinci. “Karoline plays so good, and so flat, so for me it was difficult, especially at the beginning. But I served well and I’m really happy I’m in the semifinals here in Wuhan for the first time—it’s incredible here, a nice city, nice court—it’s just really exciting for me.”

Venus is 3-0 all-time against Vinci and has not dropped a set in any of those three matches.

Garbine Muguruza made her way into the Wuhan semifinals as well on Thursday. The fifth-seeded Spaniard played clinical tennis, rolling past Slovakia’s Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-2, 6-2.

Muguruza hit 19 winners and converted on five of her seven break points to move past Schmiedlova in one hour and 12 minutes.

“It was a great match for me,” said Muguruza. “You don’t play at this level every day, so for me it was great to be playing like this.”

The Wimbledon finalist will take on sixth-seeded German Angelique Kerber in the semifinals.

Kerber led 6-1, 3-1 over Coco Vandeweghe before the American had to retire.


New York Tennis Magazine Staff
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