Australian Open 2017: Serena Williams Beats Johanna Konta, To Face Unseeded Mirjana Lucic-Baroni Towards Record 23rd Major Title

Serena Williams is on her way to become the 2017 Australian Open champ.

BBC reports that the American powerhouse beat Britain's Johanna Konta 6-2 6-3. Konta’s nine-match and 18-set winning streak made her the player to stop Williams from clinching her seventh title.

Williams also admitted this as well. She said, “I was in the locker room watching her clean up her matches. She is a future champion here for sure, so I am pleased to get through this. I got a little frustrated with my serve, but I told myself 'don't get Babyrena' [Williams' angry alter-ego] and focused on enjoying myself out here. Today I felt I can do this, it is such a great opportunity for me."

Williams’ win against Konta will have her compete against Mirjana Lucic-Baroni on Thursday, the Herald Sun said. Should Williams win against Baroni, she will secure one of the two places in the Final.

The New York Times shared that the Lucic-Baroni-Williams matchup would be both players’ second time to play in a tour. The first time was at the second round in 1998 Wimbledon, when Williams won at 6-3, 6-0.

This year’s Australian Open is also an emotional one for Lucic-Baroni, Lucic-Baroni is currently ranked at 79th, and is one of the two unseeded players to reach the tour’s semifinals. But armed with a new coach and her personal troubles behind, Lucic-Baroni is simply grateful about her progress.

“One day, I will say a long, big story about all of the things that happened to me. But I never dreamed about being here today,” she said.