Konta calls Serena thrashing ‘best experience’

25-year-old Briton fails to overpower her idol in 6-2, 6-3 defeat

MELBOURNE: Johanna Konta said playing Serena Williams was a highlight of her life and she learned a lot from being on the other side of the net to the tennis great.

The Briton had been on a nine-match win streak and in impeccable form heading into her Australian Open quarter-final with Williams on Wednesday, making her a genuine title contender.

But, like so many others before her, found getting past the 35-year-old American is no easy task.



Williams was at her thundering best in the first set and while ninth seed Konta was able to get more of a look in during the second, the 22-time Grand Slam champion was an unstoppable 6-2, 6-3 winner.

“I think it was probably one of the best experiences of my life,” said 25-year-old Konta of facing someone she idolised as a young girl growing up.

“I think there are so many things I can learn from that, so many things I can look to improve on, also acknowledge some things that I did well.



"Credit to her, she played an almost perfect first set. I felt she really did incredibly well. I mean she just showed and shows why she is who she is. And also she obviously has tremendous power, force, and speed,” she added.

Konta has been in scintillating form over the past 12 months, crashing inside the top 10 with some brilliant performances and results, including making the Melbourne semi-finals last year.