Konta eclipses Venus to reach Miami Open final

Johanna Konta became the first Briton to reach the Miami Open final on Thursday when she beat former champion Venus Williams 6-4 7-5. The 25-year-old will face the 12th seed Caroline Wozniacki in Saturday's final at Crandon Park.

Johanna Konta is the first British woman to reach the final at the Miami Open. Reuters/Geoff Burke

Konta broke Williams in the first game of the match and held on to take the first set 6-4. In the second, 36-year-old Williams surged into a 3-1 lead but the 10th seed recovered and eventually served for the match at 5-4.

She squandered the opportunity. But with parity restored, Williams dropped her own serve. At 6-5 up, Konta took full advantage of her second chance to complete her third win in four matches over the American veteran.

Konta, who beat Wozniacki in the third round at the Australian Open in January, acknowledged she faced a big challenge in the shape of the former world number one. "I am going to have a tough battle on my hands. Caroline makes you work," she added.

Wozniacki booked her place in the final after coming from behind to defeat the second seed Karolina Pliskova 5-7 6-1 6-1.

Seeking her third title of the year after victories in Doha and Brisbane, the 25-year-old Czech saved three set points on the way to clinching the opener.

But after that it was one way traffic. "I'm not sure how I managed to do that," Wozniacki said. "It is tough when you lose that first set especially after having set points, it hits you a little bit. But I got a good start to the second set and that got me going, got me grinding."

In her two finals this year, both in February, 26-year-old Wozniacki lost to Pliskova in Doha and Elina Svitolina in Dubai.

Pliskova, who began the year with a title in Brisbane, was philosophical about her second semi-final exit - following her loss at Indian Wells - within as many weeks. "I'm definitely positive," she said. "I've won a lot of matches this year so I can't be too disappointed. But obviously I am disappointed to lose two semi-finals especially when I think I could have won both matches.

"Obviously I think I could have done a bit more this year but then again I have never had a start to a season like this."