Thursday, Mar 28, 2024 | Last Update : 07:57 PM IST

  China Open: Breaking barriers

China Open: Breaking barriers

AFP
Published : Oct 9, 2016, 1:16 am IST
Updated : Oct 9, 2016, 1:16 am IST

Agnieszka Radwanska en route to her China Open semi-final win over Elina Svitolina in Beijing on Saturday. (Photo: AP)

9TENNIS.jpg
 9TENNIS.jpg

Agnieszka Radwanska en route to her China Open semi-final win over Elina Svitolina in Beijing on Saturday. (Photo: AP)

Johanna Konta became the first British woman in 32 years to break into the top 10, after she beat Madison Keys to reach the final of the China Open on Saturday.

Andy Murray is also through to the final in Beijing — his ninth final of the season — after downing Spaniard David Ferrer 6-2, 6-3.

The Scot will face Grigor Dimitrov, who got a free pass when Wimbledon runner-up Milos Raonic withdrew from their semi-final match with an ankle injury.

Konta put in a solid performance to advance to the biggest final of her career, beating eighth-ranked Keys 7-6 (7/1), 4-6, 6-4.

Konta, 25, burst onto the scene at last year’s US Open where she reached the round of 16, claiming two top 20 scalps along the way.

She has gone up another gear this season, becoming the first British woman to reach a Grand Slam semi-final in 33 years at the Australian Open and reaching the quarter-finals at the Rio Olympics.

There was a lot on the line for both Konta and Keys as they chase points to qualify for the first time for the eight-player season finale in Singapore.

Konta moves into eighth spot with the semifinal win, while Keys remains in seventh position, but with two weeks to go before the tournament both could be nudged out.

Konta will face third-ranked Agnieszka Radwanska in Sunday’s final, after she beat Ukrainian Elina Svitolina 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 in the semis.

Svitolina — who upset world number one Angelique Kerber of Germany in the third round — recovered from 3-0 in the second set but was unable to close the gap on the 2011 China Open champion.

Meanwhile Raonic pulled out of his semi-final match a few hours before it was due to start owing to an ankle sprain.

The sixth-ranked 25-year-old has been stalked by injuries all season, costing him the chance to bag his first Grand Slam title.

Kyrgios, Goffin in title tilt Tokyo: Australian firebrand Nick Kyrgios will take on Belgium’s David Goffin at the Japan Open final after both men stomped on more experienced opponents in their semi-finals Saturday.

Sixth seed Kyrgios overpowered French second seed Gael Monfils with a succession of fiery forehand shots that only intensified in the second set, taking him to a 6-4, 6-4 win.

Fifth-seeded Goffin, the world’s number 14, also beat fourth seed Marin Cilic, ranked 11th in the world, in a 7-5, 6-4 victory, demonstrating he is a strong contender for the Tokyo trophy.

The final will be the first tour-level encounter between the two men, with Goffin vowing to make Kyrgios work hard.

“I have capacity to win a tournament like this,” Goffin said.

“Nick has fantastic serves, big forehands. I have to make him run a lot,” soft-spoken Goffin said. “He is really creative. You never know what he is going to do. (I will) try to be...aggressive and make him run.”

Meanwhile, Kyrgios, known for his controversial outbursts and unpredictable performances, shrugged off fans’ expectations and called the final “just a tennis match”.

“I am going to go into it like any other match. It’s just a tennis match at the end of the day.”