Zhang's Australian Open dream run ended by unseeded Konta

Britain's Johanna Konta (R) and China's Zhang Shuai embrace after Konta won their quarter-final match at the Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park, Australia, Jan 27, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

In the earlier quarter-final, Konta's semi-final opponent Angelique Kerber stunned dual Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka in straight sets.

Despite her superior ranking, the seventh seeded Kerber went into the game as a heavy underdog against Azarenka.

But Kerber, who had never beaten the 14th-seed in their six previous meetings, out-hit the Belarusian winning 6-3, 7-5 in an hour and 45 minutes.

"I can't actually describe it (winning) in words, I was 0-6 before I came on court," the German said court-side.

"I was saying to myself to play like I do on the practice courts and that's what I did.

"I was trying to serve good, to move good and to be more aggressive than the last times I played her."

The win returns the 28-year-old, a pupil of 22-time Grand Slam winner Steffi Graf, to the semi-finals of a major championship for the first time since the 2011 U.S. Open.

The flashy lefty blasted 31 winners past Azarenka to end the 26-year-old's hopes of claiming a third title at Melbourne Park.