28/01/2016 Australian Open Tennis

Good afternoon, what a week it has been for British tennis, one good

news story after another. While we have come to expect to see Andy

Murray in the latter stages of events, all of the headlines in

Melbourne have been about a 24-year-old from Eastbourne.

Britain's number one Johanna Konta outclassed Venus Williams. Johanna

Konta continued her great form with a straight set victory. She is the

first British woman to reach the fourth round ends 1987. Johanna

Konta beating Ekaterina Makarova, a British man and a British woman in

the quarterfinals of the grand slam for the first time since 1977.

Another memorable day for British tennis, 6-4, 6-1. Next up she will

face the seventh seed from Germany, Angelique Kerber. This is massive

for Johanna and a big step for British tennis. Jo Konta has been

hoisted into the spotlight and deservedly so after superb wins

after beating Serena Williams and an even more impressive victory over

Ekaterina Makarova. She is on a Grand Slam semifinal, the first

British woman for 32 years, big-time tennis, facing the world number six,

Angelique Kerber. We have highlights of that match coming up and also the

first of the men's semifinals between world number one over

Djokovic and the great Roger Federer, meeting for the 45th time.

Those matches coming up in the next hour. More good news for British

tennis, Jamie Murray is through to his third straight grand slam

doubles final but with a new partner, Bruno Soares. After

defeating the top seed yesterday, Gordon Reid is through to his first

Grand Slam final after beating Fernandez of Argentina 9-7 in the

third in a match lasting three and a quarter hours. The first lady

semifinal did not last long, Serena Williams looks to be in a different

class to the others right now, beating Agnieszka Radwanska and

taking the first set in 20 minutes. Williams never looked in trouble and

has her sights set on the 22nd grand slam title. It has not been a

typical Aussie summer down under, plenty of rain this week and that

was the case again today, closed for the Serena Williams semifinal but

open for Konta against Kerber. She looked on food and stepping on the

court but the nerves seemed to affect, Kerber taking advantage of

the early nervousness. COMMENTATOR: A penetrating return

from Johanna Konta, she will not back off, she has demonstrated that

already in the Australian Open but this is a nervous start and

experience has told so far. Semifinal feels different from a

quarterfinal and different from the fourth round, the pressure builds.

It can weigh heavily on the shoulders. Just desperate to get

that first game under her belt here. Probably the weaker side of the

left-handed German, her forehand. She can certainly take a short bull

on common errors will come on the forehand side more than the steady

double handed backhand. Konta will have done her homework. The back and

just sat up, not much on that shot at all, another nervous looking shot

from Konta. Coming into this match, she was

happy to say that she was anxious to leave everything out on the court,

her best effort, a it is way to approach it, positive.

Beautiful backhands there, she really leans into that shot. Stays

nice and low. Insulated to a degree from the hype

over here in Australia. Certainly wearing the pressure at the moment,

this is an important game. That is the way, she is off and

running. And it was the backhand that set up the attack again, it

looks good. It is a beautiful shot, she can do some real damage a

penetrating with that shot, very aggressive and wanting to get off

the mark here and get her first game in a Grand Slam semifinal, did well

to hold her nerve. Now, to hold serve. She has not managed that so

far, 1-3. Kerber is going to have to start

getting a bit more depth on some of these forehands because Konta again

edging into the court, aggressive, you can see how well she extends on

this shot. A lot of body weight going into that backhand. You do not

see too many of those. That was a wrong decision from

Kerber coming on that forehand. A bit of a nervous shot from Kerber I

thought, rushing, way back to come back from the baseline there, you

open up the court, no chance of covering the net and getting close

enough, a good forehand passing shot.

A third Grand Slam semifinal for Angelique Kerber. The seventh seed

here, 28 years of age and has been there before, did not win either of

the two previous semifinals but she has felt this pressure. That may

serve to extend this game. Yes, just by one point, Johanna

Konta has commenced this semifinal in the Women's Singles at the

Australian Open, two games in a row, something to build from.

What a tremendous effort has been from Jo Konta, not only the

semifinal of the Australian Open but the fourth round of the US Open last

year as well. This time last two, 144 in the world and now into the

top 30, now a star player and into the big money. Yes, a beautiful

service motion, look at the body weight going through.

Things looking a whole lot better for Britain's Johanna Konta than

they were eight or nine minutes ago. She was 3-0 down, losing her first

two service games but look back, at least one of those breaks and then a

comfortable hold, it is now 3-2, Kerber.

A big game for Kerber, she has to re-establish herself, she has been

in semifinals before but never opportunities like that, that brings

a lot of pressure. You like to play someone ranked this low in a Grand

Slam semifinal but the expectations you put on yourself can sometimes

get you fit the tight, this is a big game for Kerber.

This is the confrontation of this match so far on court. The Kerber

forehand, that is the wing that breaks down under pressure. She has

a Radwanska type backhand that rarely misses, it feels comfortable.

Konta happy to go to it all day long.

There is another mistake, that is the side that gets tight. If there

is one thing Konta does, it is her homework, her coach and her

psychologist, they have done a fantastic job in preparing her. For

the run that she is on now. The other area that Konta can go at

is the Kerber second serve which also gets wobbly at times, tends to

sit little bit. If she misses a few first serves, it is an area she can

attack a bit. It is the backhand that breaks this

time, this is nervous. It has caught the top of the net,

over the high part, Konta, three games in a row, 3-3. STUDIO: The

British number one back in the semifinal, nothing between them in

the next few games, we rejoin them at 5-5, Konta serving. COMMENTATOR:

The 5-5 game, her individual service preparation.

Oh, what a point that was as well. Beautiful play from both women. The

best rally of the match and that was the big opportunity, set herself up

so well, just snatched at the drive forehand volley.

She has come through every test at the Australian Open against

Ekaterina Makarova and Venus Williams in round one, you see that

in the first round but she came through that. The quarterfinal, a

match she was expecting to win and now this, a new test.

Wow. She has that look about her now, Johanna Konta, where she feels

she belongs in this company, this is not a fluke. Look at how she set

herself up and how pleased she is on court, a tremendous effort from

where she has come from in the last 18 months.

Could not have been a long way out, she looks up at the camera but

declines to use the computerised line checking system. Not checking

Hawk-Eye here. Two break points. When that passing shot hit the top

of the net, it was not another one skipping over the racket, was it?

That one. This time she was ready, stopped the bull 's progress, this

was no easy shot. And back on the attack again, still a break point to

save. The Kerber stood up to the pressure

there are her forehand, it is a break of serve and she will serve

for the first set at 6-5. STUDIO: A crucial stage of the match, they did

not need a disruption to play but that is what happened, a few drops

of rain stopped play and they needed to drive the court and the lines

that can get very slippery. There was a delay of ten minutes and that

would certainly test the nerves. We will pick it up again when play

resumes with Kerber serving for the set. COMMENTATOR: Crucial moments in

this second semifinal. Have to get one of the first couple

of points in the big game like this. That is a pity. The break for the

tension, to start a game like this with two of those 20 unforced

errors, it is a shame but she is not out of the game yet. The wheels have

come off in this game. Comfortable for Kerber, the luxury of three set

points. The drop shot paid off, and

injection of touch and just under 50 minutes played and the first set to

Angelique Kerber, 7-5 against Jo Konta. Set number two.

Has not settled at all after the break for rain. Even just a few

minutes. She had lost her serve to go 5-6 down but that was a bull game

to end the first set, she needs to settle quickly here in the second or

it could run away. At this level, you cannot afford to

throw these errors in bunches. The best players, play one bad point and

get back into it and play more solid but at the moment, she is letting

things get away from her. A piercing backhand, first the

forehand and then down the line to the Kerber, considered a strength

but Konta going with real heat down the line, that will please mum and

dad on the south coast of England. Down in Eastbourne, they have been

watching this on TV, choosing not to fly out and change anything, they

must be so proud. It was an excellent change of

direction fourth and side from Kerber, she is just turning the

screw in this match. She has the break of serve as well as the first

set. STUDIO: Kerber in control, Konta trying to get past defences

but continued to make errors, as we rejoin it, Kerber is 5-2 up and

serving for a place in the final. COMMENTATOR: What a moment in the

career of the seventh seed, Angelique Kerber, veteran of the

tour, 28 years of age, serving for a place in the final.

Lovely injection of pace therefrom Kerber.

That is telling, Konta has perhaps been over pressing on the backhand.

Take that. That was a nervous little drop shot. Please be good. She did

not want to hit the best shot, a bit tight, a clean winner. She had about

half an hour to get to that one. Still had to hit the shot which she

did. And now, a match point. Don't start

thinking now. A chance to make a Grand Slam final and play Serena

Williams, match point. Well, it is a shame it had to end

that way. It is Angelique Kerber who advances to her first Grand Slam

final at the Australian Open. She will play Serena Williams. But my

goodness, we have seen so much to be proud from Johanna Konta, a

tremendous run comes to an end but we salute Kerber who will take on

Serena Williams, who she has beaten before but that is a daunting task

indeed. This is really her victory for Kerber rather than a loss for

Konta. Sydney born Johanna Konta, British from Hungarian parents,

calls herself try national but a brilliant run. Many congratulations,

28 years of age and your first Grand Slam final. A special moment for

you? Yes. Thank you. It is a special moment, reaching the final for the

first time. I will try to give everything today on court and Jo had

a great two weeks and I am sure she will have a great future. She was a

tough opponent. She will win many tournaments in the future, that is

for sure. I just want to say thank you again, it is an unbelievable

feeling to play on the Centre Court, thank you guys, I hope you will be

supporting on Saturday. And we hope you will be supporting us on

Saturday as well when we are on BBC One with Angelique Kerber taking on

the great Serena Williams, the world number one. Kerber has a victory

over her in the head to head. Highlight of the ladies final but

also the Men's Doubles final with Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares.

Disappointment for Joanna Konta, but let's hear what she have to say to

Russell Fuller, he asked her if she became disappointed from coming so

close to a grand slam final. I don't feel I missed an opportunity, I feel

I've played a good match against one of the best players in the world,

who basically won the match to go into the final. So the reason she's

there is because she won the match and that's how I'm going to take it.

You know, I'm looking forward to just continuing to work and

continuing to create opportunities for myself to be in similar

situations in the future. We all hope that and John Lloyd is with me,

very impressive. Disappointing today, a few too many errors but

over the fortnight she should be very happy with it overall.

Absolutely, how far as she come in such a short distance of time. It's

remarkable. Today she started off slow but understandably the Melissa

Mead finals, going down 3-0 and when she got that back she looked like

she belonged out there. -- the semifinals. She needs a bit more

variety in places but I think she is a threat now. A lot of coaches now

from the top women will be checking her out and coming up with different

strategies to play her. I think she can move up the rankings a lot more,

I see no reason why not. There is a big gap, if you take Serena Williams

out of it, because she is a class among herself, for the rest there is

an opening for someone like Joanna Konta and the way she has played in

this tournament, why not, she can go a long way. Mentally she has

improved on the big points but she also has weapons which is important.

If you are going to win matches you need to put pressure on players. I

love the way she hugs the baseline, takes the ball early, takes the ball

on the rise, looking to go forward always, her serve is a big weapon,

bit more variety on the return, hits a few too many down the middle on

the second serve. She should have attacked the second serve more

today? She should, she had the appointment Delhi opportunity to get

the opponent off balance. She hits it too hard but she will learn that

through experience and when she made errors she grouped them together,

whereas the top players play one bad shot and get back down to it and

play solidly for a couple of points. That is another thing that will come

from experience but she has a great future. Nominee points to defend,

she has only broken into the top 30, up to 28, -- already broken into.

She will be in the Premier tournaments, getting big points add

more experience and it's an exciting time. Very exciting and this will

give her the chance to be seated at the Grand Slam is, that will protect

her a bit more. I look at her and think there is no reason why not.

How far? She can be top ten, no doubt, but the next level after

that, again, Serena is the problem because at the moment she is a class

of her own, how long she can go on for, who knows? But take the rest of

the field and Konta has a good chance to do well against any of

them if she keeps on improving and she will keep getting better. I

worry for Kerber's second serve against Serena on Saturday, it will

get a bit of a thumping but congratulations to Angelique Kerber

who played a fantastic match today, through to her first grand slam

final. The ladies final is on Saturday but the first of the men's

semifinals took place earlier today and what a semifinal, two of the

all-time greats, world number one Novak Djokovic begins the Roger

Federer. They have met 44 times, 22-22 in their head-to-head and as

you can see Djokovic has really dominated in their recent Grand Slam

meetings. Could he go ahead for the first time against his great rival?

There wasn't a spare seat in the Rod Laver Arena to see these two great

champions doing battle once again. What an era we are enjoying at the

moment. Djokovic knows he must be at his best against Roger and he

started that way, taking the first set 6-1. We join it at the second,

1-1, Federer to serve and John is with Andrew again.

COMMENTATOR: He feels with this much break between the semifinal and a

final you can really throw everything at the semifinal and not

hold anything back. He said, not that you voluntarily do that, but if

you have the final the next day or that they after you might pull back

mentally at had Belly -- a tad. Once again you can see Federer is being

made to play such awkward shots by Djokovic, coming at him so deep, not

giving him enough time to react, and he's trying to power through with

the forehand, Federer, but at the moment the timing is not there.

Again, he's hoping for success, Federer, on that approach shot. It's

not a real, genuine... He comes in and that's not going to get the job

done, he can't get to the net quick enough from there, he has way too

much time to hit the pass. Two shots too early in a rally. Exactly, he's

rushing. It's unusual to say Roger Federer is panicking, not a word you

associate with Federer, but at the moment it looks a little bit like he

is. This is an absolute masterclass from

Djokovic. Roger Federer is having a quick challenge, he's about to lose

his serve again. The forehand looked like it landed long to the naked

eye. And two Hawk-Eye as well. Djokovic is in complete control of

this semifinal. Federer on the back foot, Djokovic

held in the next game so here is Federer serving again at 1-3.

Oh! How good is that? That was extraordinary, and it could have

passed you by quite easily there. That's one of the greatest bits of

defence I've ever seen. And it wasn't at this point in the rally,

it was earlier. Federer hit a forehand as hard as he could hit it,

deep into the corner, it may have been just inside. Who is this bloke?

The lob was amazing. Oh dear. I'll tell you something,

you might as well not worry too much about Federer. And just revel in

Djokovic, because this is extraordinary. And, yes, Federer has

made a lot of errors, John. He's in the zone, isn't he? At the moment

there is nothing he can't hit, everything he hits is going where he

wants it. And getting a nice net cord as well. This might be one of

those high moments in an individual's performance. There is a

Ivan Ljubicic, working with Roger Federer replacing Stefan Edberg

after a couple of years, the Swedish player with Roger Federer. And his

wife Mirka looking on as well. This is amazing. Truly amazing. The

net cord return on the previous point and that return on the

baseline. It is amazing. It is 6-1, 4-1.

STUDIO: And proving unstoppable because Djokovic never let up, he

took the set 6-2, the crowd in shock, who would have thought

Federer would win three games in two sets but he found some form in the

third set, we rejoin with Federer leading 3-2 and Djokovic to serve.

COMMENTATOR: 2-3. That's the shop that has been

causing him the most problems, his forehand. Always very reliable --

shot. He got himself back into the rally so well and missed the easy

one. That was the best backhand Federer

has hit today. It got Djokovic out-of-court. That's the one that

set him up. A slight opening here for Federer.

0- 30 opportunity as rare as hen's teeth for Roger Federer today.

The first break point saved and accurate serve but that one was on

Federer's racket. Good signs for him, though. He needs something for

him to get his teeth into. That is of poor passing shot from

Djokovic there. -- a poor passing shot. Ivan Ljubicic, former world

number three, working with Roger Federer.

He just missed. At least he was inside the court that time and he

earned the opportunity to pull the trigger. Two of those chances on the

forehand in this game and he missed them both. Those are the sort of

shots that normally you just expect Federer, because he's that good, to

make that shot. He didn't have to make it that good. Fine defence

before that from Djokovic, standing firm, three break points saved in

this game. That's just too good. There was no

chance Djokovic was going to miss a ground stroke there. Federer

defended well in that rally. He was on the back foot. That's the

familiar shot, the squash forehand, just missed that one but normally so

good with that. But he never really got a chance to get ahead in that

rally. That's cheeky. Beautifully played.

This is a very fine phase of play for Federer. Djokovic doing nothing

different, maintaining an amazing standard. This is the best part of

the match standard-wise. You wouldn't necessarily expect

Djokovic to out -base Federer over the course of the match -- out- ace.

What a this is. -- a game this is. The previous time on this side he

had run around and hit a forehand too hot to handle for Djokovic. This

time standing his ground and getting over the top of that. It's a thing

of beauty. What a game, ten minutes worth, deuce.

CHEERING Djokovic would like this volley back

here, Federer is onto it, and then the control, magnificent dig. The

fourth break point. UMPIRE: Mr Djokovic is challenging

the call on the left service line, the ball was called out. Pascal

Maria in the chair, what big-time this is, challenging the serve,

disrupting your own rhythm. Oh yes, there is reward. First serve.

CHEERING First break of serve for Roger

Federer in this semifinal. Some of the crowd rise. He's made it a

match. This is going to hurt the years of Djokovic -- the ears.

STUDIO: It certainly hurt his momentum as well, the crowd got

behind Federer and he went on to take the set 6-3, match on also we

go into the fourth set Djokovic leading 4-3, Federer to serve.

COMMENTATOR: The 15 point in the previous game Djokovic held with a

winning volley and then a nice clean ending to the game, now Djokovic at

0- 15 in this game, danger for Federer here.

Federer could have done more, couldn't he? Djokovic was onto that

so close, he read that volley, he had too much time. That was a big

point for Federer to lose. You could see him react, he gets up to it, the

racket went back early, could have gone either way, 20 of time, and

danger time now for Federer. -- plenty of time.

That's surprising, really surprising. It was a good second

serve, but not that good for Djokovic to make an error. It was a

big opportunity vertigo 0- 40. -- there to go 0- 40.

Oh! Ho-ho! That was unbelievable. Djokovic way too cautious. Great

lob, this. Both players, what a recovery. That was the shot, didn't

do enough with it, and there, the same thing, didn't snap the volley

away, too Conservative, but what a backhand.

That is good fortune right over the top of Federer's racket, off the top

of the net, it was a piercing passing shot. He was unlucky,

though. He was on that. That's a bit of a bluff, I'm afraid.

STUDIO: Djokovic very much in charge once again and a few points later,

here he is at match point. COMMENTATOR: Djokovic will go

through to have a crack at his sixth Australian Open title on Sunday.

Federer defeated in four sets, it's been too long since Federer was able

to best the world number one at Grand Slam level. But it's hats off

to Djokovic, superb. The first two sets unbelievable. And in the fourth

set gutsy and determined. STUDIO: Truly proving what a great champion

he is, he's coached by a great champion and applauded by another,

Rod Laver, everyone appreciating the dominance of the world number one.

And the feeling for this man Roger Federer, it wasn't his day, he

fought hard in the first set but he found no answers for Djokovic was so

good once again on the Rod Laver Arena, a court he has grown to love.

John Lloyd was watching it with me. Sad for Roger Federer but the best

man won on the day. Federer did not start well but lots

of that comes down to Djokovic, he was brilliant and forced Federer to

keep going for so much because he's right in his face, deep, and Federer

starts going for too much and serve and volley too much and becomes too

predictable and in the end Djokovic was a different class. Djokovic

knows if he can get the first and second against Roger it's unlikely

Roger is going to come back and win it in five, it's too much of an

ASCII for him so he was in the driving seat once awake. Great

effort to come back and win the third from Roger because it looked

like it might be a whitewash at one stage. He has the answers again and

Federer has to force the issue all the time and if his forehand is not

at 100% Federer has no chance and Djokovic returns to well, his

defence is amazing. Federer can't find a way through him. It seems

inevitable in a best-of-5 set match that Djokovic will come out on top

now. We talked about Serena being dominant, you feel not quite as

much, but Djokovic is taking a lead over the others in the men's game as

well. He seems so hard to beat in the Grand Slam is. Over five sets he

is a frightening prospect, what can you do against him? He does

everything better than everyone else, the pressure he puts on you,

his defensive skills, his service has improved, he comes in, Boris

Becker helped him with his volley and he's confident with that. How do

you put him down over five sets, I don't know the answer and nobody

else does. He moves so well, his movement on the court is so good. He

is through to the final of the Australian Open once again. But the

second men's semifinal will take place tomorrow, Andy Murray,

Britain's number one, up against Milos Raonic, that's tomorrow.

COMMENTATOR: That will do it, Andy Murray for the sick time through to

the semifinals of the Australian Open.

STUDIO: Willock forward to that tomorrow, Andy Murray against Milos

Raonic, at 2pm on BBC Two. Today, though, the world number one in the

men's, Novak Djokovic, marches on at the Australian Open and Johanna

Konta's dream run ran out, I'm afraid. Bye bye

COMMENTATOR: Johanna Konta, hurt Mendis run comes to an end but we

salute Kerber. Djokovic will go through to have a

crack at his sixth Australian Open title.