Johanna Konta beaten by Victoria Azarenka in Western & Southern Open semi-final
Johanna Konta was beaten by Victoria Azarenka in Friday's Western & Southern Open semi-final in three sets.
Britain's No1, now ranked 59th in the world, took the opening set, but it was Azarenka who bounced back to win 4-6 6-4 6-1 to progress to Saturday's final, where she will meet Naomi Osaka.
It was the second time Konta had reached a semi-final this calendar year after making the final four at the Monterrey Open in March.
Konta now has a week to rest and recover before the start of the US Open, where she kicks off the tournament with an enticing all-British tie against Heather Watson.
Despite falling marginally short of her ninth career final, Konta showed reason to believe she'll be a real contender at Flushing Meadows.
Into her 38th WTA final! 🤩@vika7 defeats the No.8 seed Konta, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.#CInCyTENNIS pic.twitter.com/0W2XyyfGBN
— wta (@WTA)
After play was suspended on Thursday in protest of the shooting of Jacob Blake, Konta took the first set after breaking in the fifth game, converting with what was her eighth set point.
The second set proved equally as tight, though this time with both struggling on their respective serves. After just the single break in the opener, there were five in the second set, Azarkenka's three ensuring a 6-4 scoreline in her favour.
The two-time major winner then found her range and rhythm in a dominant fifth set, taking it by six games to one.
