Johanna Konta steamrolled a lackluster Sloane Stephens on Tuesday to storm into the French Open semifinals for the first time.
Konta had never won a main-draw match at Roland Garros before last week, but she now stands two victories from a first Grand Slam title after beating last year's runner-up, 6-1, 6-4.
Stephens lost her two previous meetings with Konta this year — one of which came last month in Rome — and the 26th seed shattered the 2017 U.S. Open champion's hopes of winning a second Grand Slam.
Konta was relentless on Court Philippe-Chatrier and will face Marketa Vondrousova or Petra Martic after becoming the first British women since Jo Durie in 1983 to reach the final four in Paris.
An inspired Konta produced an exhibition of power and precision, saving the only break point she faced and losing just one point behind her serve in the second set as she blew away a startled seventh-seeded Stephens.
First Women’s semi-finalist is through! @johannakonta is into her first Roland-Garros semi-final, 6-1 6-4 over former finalist Stephens.
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 4, 2019
https://t.co/xHm8Kpq1iW #RG19 pic.twitter.com/ojeEAM0ltX
Konta's serve got her out of trouble in the first game after Stephens forced a break point, and she went from strength to strength after starting with a battling hold.
The 2017 Wimbledon semifinalist swarmed all over the American, breaking for a 3-1 lead when Stephens paid the price for an errant backhand.
Konta pounced on timid Stephens serves by fizzing a couple of blistering returns beyond the world No. 7 before a rasping forehand winner put her up, 5-1.
The hesitant Stephens looked like a totally different player than the one that defeated Garbine Muguruza in the fourth round, and she was broken in the first game of the second set after Konta wrapped up the first in only 32 minutes.
A sprightly Konta did not give Stephens a look-in as she raced through her service games in a flash en route to a third major semifinal.
Stephens, who lacked power and mobility, looked as if she didn't know what had hit her as she charged off the court after drilling a backhand just wide to crash out in only an hour and 11 minutes.
STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN
Johanna Konta [26] bt Sloane Stephens [7] 6-1 6-4
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Konta - 25/13
Stephens - 12/14
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Konta - 6/2
Stephens - 1/1
BREAK POINTS WON
Konta - 3/7
Stephens - 0/1
FIRST SERVE PERCENTAGE
Konta - 70
Stephens - 75
PERCENTAGE OF POINTS WON ON FIRST/SECOND SERVE
Konta - 86/50
Stephens - 66/33
TOTAL POINTS
Konta - 61
Stephens - 41