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Andy Murray, Johanna Konta roll on

Andy Murray set up an Australian Open semi-final against the much-improved Milos Raonic on Wednesday when he weathered a fierce attack by David Ferrer on a day of rare success for Britain.

Andy Murray set up an Australian Open semi-final against the much-improved Milos Raonic on Wednesday when he weathered a fierce attack by David Ferrer on a day of rare success for Britain.

A thunderstorm proved an unlikely ally for Murray when it forced the Rod Laver Arena roof to be closed mid-match, helping him accelerate to a 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 6-3 win.

Later Raonic, now working under former world number one Carlos Moya, continued his ascent with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Gael Monfils to reach the Australian semi-finals for the first time.

Murray is into a sixth Australian Open semi-final and 18th overall in the Grand Slams, as he attempts to go one better after finishing runner-up at four of the last six editions in Melbourne.

But this time, the world number three has British company in the final stages after Johanna Konta downed China’s Zhang Shuai 6-4, 6-1 to become the first British woman to reach a Grand Slam semi since 1983.

It is the first time that two British singles players — man or woman — have featured in the last four at the same Grand Slam event since John Lloyd and Sue Barker at the 1977 Australian Open.

Adding further lustre to the British day to remember, Murray’s brother Jamie reached the men’s doubles semi-finals with his Brazilian partner Bruno Soares.

Murray said it was a special time for British tennis, after he also led his country to Davis Cup glory against Belgium in November — the first time they have won the teams tournament since 1936.

“It’s pretty good for us to have people competing in almost all of the competitions. So, yeah, it’s been a good Australian Open so far. Hopefully we can keep it going,” Murray said.

The Australian-born Konta, 24, has blossomed in the last year.

She had never been beyond the fourth round at a Slam before with her exploits Wednesday matching fellow Brits Virginia Wade (who won the title in 1972) and Sue Barker (1975 and 1977) in making the Melbourne semis. She also became the first British woman to press on to a Slam semi since Jo Durie at the US Open in 1983.

Angelique Kerber credited German great Steffi Graf with giving her the belief that she can win big matches after upsetting Victoria Azarenka to reach the semi-finals.

The seventh seed stunned the two-time champion 6-3, 7-5 to make make the last four only for a second time since 2012.

Sania, Martina enter final

In the women’s doubles, Sania Mirza and her Swiss partner Martina Hingis notched up a 6-1, 6-0 win over Julia Goerges and Karolina Pliskova to enter third successive Grand Slam final. They will now face Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic.

However, Rohan Bopanna’s campaign ended with a shock defeat in the mixed doubles quarter-finals with partner Yung-Jan Chan of Chinese Taipei.

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