World No. 1 Kerber Falls To Venus, Halep Upset Wednesday at Miami Open

Venus Williams and Johanna Konta both orchestrated huge upsets on Wednesday at the Miami Open to advance into a semifinal battle on Key Biscayne.
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The No. 11-seeded Williams ousted propped-up world No. 1 Angie Kerber 7-5, 6-3, and the No. 10-seeded Konta came from a set down to defeat No. 3-seeded Simona Halep 3-6, 7-6(7), 6-2.

Konta is the first British woman to reach the Miami Open semifinals. Halep served for the match at 5-4 in the second set, and blew another lead in the tiebreaker.

“I was so close to winning, I was two points away in the tiebreak, but she played very strong and deserved to win today,” Halep said. “But my confidence is there, the game is there — I just need to play matches.”

In the semis Konta will meet a red-hot but bandaged-up Venus Williams, who was aggressive after going down a break in the opening set and often took the net to upset the German Kerber.

Williams hit 32 winners to 27 for Kerber.

Konta leads the head-to-head 2-1, winning the last two on hardcourts last year against the elder Williams sister.

Thursday in Miami will see Williams vs. Konta, and (12) Carolina Wozniacki vs. (2) Karolina Pliskova in the semifinals.