Week 3 - Australian Open Main Draw - Melbourne, Australia - Hard

Julia Carrot · All-time great

Week 3 - Australian Open Main Draw - Melbourne, Australia - Hard

PaulM · Tennis legend

And that's why Serena is the best. Easily flipped it up a few gears from early rounds and shut Jo down. Very comfortable and a statement performance.

Been a great fortnight.

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

Great effort from Jo in this tournament, if only she had got drawn in the other half of the draw because on current form she looked like beating everyone bar Serena. Jo's stats tday (11 w to 22 ue) don't look great but I'm pretty sure her opponent had something to do with that! Didn't see the match as I was fllowing on airport wifi at Abu Dhabi on my way back from Australia. I did get to watch Jo's match agaist Wozniacki live a few days ago and she was very impressive then.

PaulM · Tennis legend

Serena was serving second serves at over 160kph regularly, so the fact her first serve % was down was meaningless really. Jo had plenty of second serves to look at, but didn't really have a regular opportunity to strike on them.

kundalini · Specialist Reporter + Intermediate Club Player

If you mean put them away for a return winner then fair enough but lots of times she was hitting 2nd serve returns well beyond the baseline. By the way, average 2nd serve speed Jo Konta 147 Serena Williams 153. In the 2nd set JK 152 SW 151.

Coco Vandeweghe's level yesterday was higher than Serena's today. I didn't watch the other two quarter-finals.

-- Edited by kundalini on Wednesday 25th of January 2017 04:28:49 AM

vohor · Grand Slam Champion

Yep, a pity Jo was in Serena's quarter :(

Jo will be gutted she didn't get closer but I'm guessing there's no way of truly preparing for your first ever match against Serena; just have to be the other side of the net to gain the experience and hopefully get the plan and the mindset in gear for next time.

It's been a great start to the season this notwithstanding :)

Jan · Hall of fame

Ah I really thought Jo might have a shot at winning that.
Not to be - but a fantastic start to 2017.
Keep it up Jo!

Peter too · Tennis legend

As far as I can see Jo's has won her most recent match against every one of the other top ten apart from Angelique Kerber and Serena Williams, so that would imply that she is playing at the level of WR 3.

blob · All-time great

I am becoming utterly spoiled. *Only* a QF... at a Grand Slam... losing to Serena... and still I can't help feeling a little disappointed
Realistic prospects and hopes have been set so high; all credit to Johanna

Love her comments and reaction to the match in her interviews. e.g. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/38741278

Can't wait to see her back in action again.