Simona Halep win puts Johanna Konta on brink of moving into world's top 10

29 July 2016 08:24

Simona Halep came from a set down to beat Svetlana Kuznetsova at the Rogers Cup - putting Johanna Konta on the brink of the world's top 10.

The fifth seed won 3-6 6-1 6-1 against the ninth seed to advance to the semi-finals after a nervous start where she was broken twice in her first two service games.

Last year's runner-up Halep complained to coach Darren Cahill she was "playing without ideas" but recovered in style, racing into a 5-0 lead in the deciding set, to reach the last four.

Her comeback means Konta will move into the world's top 10 for the first time if she beats Kristina Kucova on Saturday morning.

It will cap a remarkable rise for the British number one, who was 153rd in the world four years ago, following her first WTA title win, over Venus Williams, at the Bank of West Stanford Classic last week.

It has been 32 years since a British woman cracked the top 10, when Jo Durie was 10th in August 1984.

Later, second seed Angelique Kerber eased past 19-year-old Daria Kasatkina 6-2 6-2 in just over an hour.

Kerber recovered from losing her serve in the first game to break Kasatkina four times in the first set and three times in the second.

Source: PA