Konta and Kerber into Open semi-final

Brit Johanna Konta and German Angelique Kerber will clash in an improbable Australian Open semi-final after scoring straight-set wins at Melbourne Park.

British tennis player Johanna Konta

Brit Johanna Konta (pic) and German Angelique Kerber will clash in the Australian Open semi-finals. (AAP)

Unseeded tri-citizen Johanna Konta is refusing to be swept up in the hysteria after becoming the first British woman to reach a grand slam semi-final in 33 years.

The singled-minded Sydney-born 24-year-old ended the Australian Open Cinderella run of Chinese qualifier Zhang Shuai 6-4 6-1 on Wednesday to continue a remarkable tennis renaissance.

Not even ranked in the world's top 100 this time last year, Konta set up a showdown on Thursday with free-hitting German Angelique Kerber for a place in Saturday's title match on her main-draw debut at Melbourne Park.

Not since Jo Durie at the 1983 US Open has a Brit made the last four at a women's major.

But Konta - born at Royal North Shore Hospital and raised on Sydney's northern beaches before moving to Europe at 14 - now has a golden opportunity to go even further when she squares off with Kerber for the first time.

Not that she's feeling any pressure after transforming her career since the appointment of a sports psychologist who demands she stays in the moment - every day, every match, every set, every game, every point.

"The UK is a number of thousands of miles away and a completely different time zone, which in this case might be quite nice," said Konta, who also holds a Hungarian passport thanks to her hotelier father Gabor.

"Whatever pressure or whatever buzz there is outside it, it only affects me as much as I let it."

Konta, guaranteed a place in the world's top 25 after her stunning run at Melbourne Park, is rightfully treating Kerber with the utmost respect.

"She's top 10, she's an incredibly decorated and successful competitor and player," Konta said.

"I'm just going to bring to the court what I can and do my best."

Kerber earlier sent two-time champion Victoria Azarenka packing in a 6-3 7-5 boilover of a different kind at Rod Laver Arena.

The victory reversed a run of six losses to Azarenka, who had loomed as defending champion Serena Williams's greatest title threat after marching through her first nine matches in 2016 without dropping a set.

"I was just saying play like you do on the practice courts and just go for it, just believe that you can beat her and I'm so, so happy that I beat her for the first time," Kerber said.

"I was trying to serve very good from the first point and be more aggressive than I have the last few times I played her.

"It's just an amazing feeling to be in the semi-finals here for the first time."

While seeded higher than Azarenka - who spiralled down the rankings during an injury-plagued 2014 season - Kerber was a big underdog on Wednesday after being crushed by the former world No.1 in the Brisbane final earlier this month.

But Kerber, who survived a match point in her opener against Masaki Doi, set the tone by breaking Azarenka in the opening game en route to taking the first set in confident fashion.

Having conceded only 11 games in her opening four matches, suddenly Azarenka had dropped her first set of the year.

She responded in style, breaking Kerber in the opening game of the second set to seize back the momentum and powering to a 5-2, 40-0 lead.

The 14th seed blew five set points as the free-wheeling German roared back to reel off five straight games to take the set and the match.

The reward for Konta or Kerber is a title decider against either the top-ranked Williams or fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska.

7-ANGELIQUE KERBER (GER) v JOHANNA KONTA (GBR) - first meeting

ANGELIQUE KERBER

Age: 28

Ranking: 6

Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Career prize money: $US9,311,818 ($A13.28 million)

Career titles: 7

Grand slam titles: 0

Career win-loss record: 462-251

Australian Open win-loss record: 16-8

Best Australian Open result: semi-final 2016

JOHANNA KONTA

Age: 24

Ranking: 47

Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Career prize money: $US847,551 ($A1.21 million)

Career titles: 0

Grand slam titles: 0

Career win-loss record: 26-28

Australian Open win-loss record: 5-0

Best Australian Open result: semi-final 2016


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Source: AAP



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