Johanna Konta becomes first British tennis player in WTA top 10 since 1984 after China Open semi-final win

On the up: Konta is the first woman since Durie to be in the top 10 of the WTA rankings
EPA
James Benge8 October 2016

Johanna Konta has become the first female British tennis player to reach the top 10 of the WTA Tour rankings in over 30 years.

Victory over American Madison Keys at the China Open not only secured a spot in the final for Konta but saw her vault into the top 10 on the tour, the first female British tennis player to reach the rank since 1984.

Only three British women have made the top 10 before and Konta follows in the footsteps of Virginia Wade, Sue Barker and Jo Durie. For now though the 25-year-old’s focus will be on claiming the crown in Beijing.

Konta overcame Keys in three sets over a semi-final that lasted two hour and 35 minutes, claiming victory 7-6 (7-1), 4-6, 6-4.

The 11th seed will face either Poland’s Angieszka Radwanska or Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina in the final.

Her compatriot Andy Murray could also feature in the men’s final – he takes on Spain’s David Ferrer in today’s semi-final.

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