Melbourne: Andy Murray set up an Australian Open semifinal against the much-improved Milos Raonic on Wednesday when he weathered a fierce attack by David Ferrer, winning 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 6-3 on a day of rare success for Britain.
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 semifinals for the first time.
Murray is into sixth Australian Open semifinal 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.
Meanwhile, Angelique Kerber stunned two-time champion Victoria Azarenka for a last-four clash against Konta.
The seventh-seeded Kerber, who had never gone beyond the fourth round at Melbourne Park before, blasted past the dangerous Azarenka 6-3, 7-5 in her first win against the Belarusian. The 28-year-old is a renowned fighter and the quality shone through as she battled back from 2-5 down in the second set.
