MELBOURNE: In keeping with the way this Australian Open has been going, Andy Murray was asked following a quarter-final win on Wednesday about the state of his game.

And then, invariably, about the integrity of his sport.

British hearts swelled with pride at Melbourne Park as Murray battled into the Australian Open semi-finals after compatriot Johanna Konta swept into the last four of the women’s tournament.

Murray won a typically attritional slog against Spaniard David Ferrer 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 6-3 to reach the semi-finals at a Grand Slam for the 18th time, while Konta eased past Chinese qualifier Zhang Shuai 6-4, 6-1 to become the first British woman in more than 30 years to reach a Grand Slam semi-final.

It’s the first time since the Australian Open in December 1977 that that two British players {John Lloyd and Sue Barker) have advanced to the final four of any major but they will need to muster more bulldog spirit to reach the final.

Second seed Murray, who booked his sixth semi-final in Melbourne, will face Milos Raonic with the Canadian 13th seed in the form of his life.

Raonic’s 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over Frenchman Gael Monfils made him Canada’s first male semi-finalist at Melbourne Park.

Defending champion Novak Djokovic and Federer will contest the other semi-final on Friday.

Konta, the first British woman to reach a Grand Slam semi-final since Jo Durie at the 1983 US Open, will face seventh seed Angelique Kerber, who stunned twice former champion Victoria Azarenka 6-3, 7-5 in the opening match at Rod Laver Arena.

The fall-out from match-fixing allegations that rocked the tournament’s opening day continued to rumble.

Officials launched an independent review into the Tennis Integrity Unit to restore “public confidence in our sport” after accusations the watchdog had failed to adequately investigate suspicious matches in the past.

In announcing the review, ATP chairman Chris Kermode said the reports had “caused damage to the sport,” which compelled the major stakeholders in tennis — the International Tennis Federation, ATP and WTA tours, and the four Grand Slams — to take quick action to address the issue.

A BBC and Buzzfeed News report which coincided with the start of the Australian Open alleged 16 players — all ranked at some stage in the top 50 — had been flagged for being involved in matches where suspicious betting activity was detected.

Former players angrily demanded proof of wrongdoing.

“There is no evidence. We are talking about algorithms and mathematics and some computer spits your name out like a serial killer and everyone is chasing you,” fumed former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic.

Murray was asked about developments to the match-fixing claims, as have many players in the last 10 days.

“Yeah, that’s positive,” Murray said of the independent review. “Surely I think in these situations I think people become sceptical when it’s sort of kept in-house. So getting someone independent to look into it is positive for sure.”

The review will be funded by the Tennis Integrity Board, which oversees the anti-corruption unit set up by the sport in 2008 to combat match-fixing. It will be led by Adam Smith, a London-based lawyer.

WEATHERING THE STORM

Ferrer proved a difficult proposition for Murray, relentlessly slugging it out from the baseline and keeping the Scot working hard in a physically demanding match.

He stunned all with a rare dash to the net and a volleyed winner that conjured a set point during the second set tiebreak.

Murray surrendered the set with an unforced error but from there the match turned in the Scot’s favour when the roof was closed on Rod Laver Arena in the third set, ahead of an approaching thunderstorm.

“I like playing indoors,” Murray, who has lost four finals in Melbourne, said courtside. “I grew up in Scotland and the weather is not as good as here so I grew up playing most of my tennis indoors.”

Murray and Raonic, who advanced to his second Grand Slam semi-final after losing to Federer in the final four at Wimbledon in 2014, are 3-3 in career meetings.

“I think just the perseverance throughout it, I had a lot of opportunities even in that set I lost,” Raonic said of his win over Monfils. “I just said to myself keep making opportunities and hopefully they’ll go my way.”

Kerber poses a formidable roadblock to Konta, the German having floored former world number one Azarenka in their quarter-final.

The 28-year-old faced three set points when trailing 5-2 in the second set, and another two at 5-4, but stormed home to book her maiden semi-final at Melbourne Park.

Nearly 17 years have passed since Steffi Graf won Germany’s last Grand Slam title, and Kerber said she had sought inspiration from the 46-year-old in Las Vegas last year.

“She taught me actually that I’m on a good way and try to believe in myself,” said Kerber.

Six-time champion Serena Williams and fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska will meet in the other women’s semi-final, also on Thursday.

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2016