Wimbledon 2017: Live blog and updates from SW19 including Johanna Konta v Simona Halep

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1853: KONTA BEATS HALEP 6-7, 7-6, 6-4!

She's done it. 39 years since Britain had a women's semi-finalist and Johanna Konta has ended that long, long wait. Stunning stuff from the big home hope, who takes the final game of the match in pretty strange circumstances as Halep appears to stop playing after a call out (shriek) from the crowd at 40-15 before firing her forehand low into the net.

Jubilant scenes in the crowd but Konta remains totally focussed as she departs from the court. Hard to think there isn't more to come from her but there will need to be - Venus Williams awaits in what promises to be a smashing semi-final.

Konta says she's "humbled to be sharing the court with her" in the next round.

1849: Remarkable. Another hold without reply - that's three in a row and it's as if they've both been working their way to this crucial game as Konta bids to serve it out for victory and Halep has one last chance to deny her. Another hold required and Konta goes into the semis.

1847: Pressure? What pressure? The eyes of the country may be on her but Konta steels herself to fire in three first-serves which immediately put her on top in the game. It's a second serve to end the game but the result is the same as Konta's silky backhand across court leaves Halep floundering. Another love hold and she's now a game away from history.

1844: Rapid-fire hold to love for Halep, who puts the pressure back onto Konta with a comfortable game. They're still waving their brollies out on the Hill. Big moments to come now.

1842: It's 4-2 in the deciding set after Konta ups the ante yet again. Perhaps her opponent is wilting slightly in the heat under the roof here, but full credit to the Brit, who emerges on top at the end of a fantastic rally to make it 40-0 and despite letting the next two points slip by, seals the deal with a deep serve out wide that forces Halep to go long with her return.

1836: KONTA BREAKS! Konta finally makes one of those break-point chances stick, Centre Court erupting as Halep, run ragged again at the back of the court, drags a forehand into the tramline.

1832: That's more like it, Konta holding to 15 as - for just about the first time in the match - errors start to come from Halep's racket.

1827: Far more comfortable for Halep, holding to 15 in no time to restore her lead in the decider.

1825: What a game! Ballsy stuff from Konta at 15-30 down in her opening service game of the set, hitting the baseline with her approach before drive-volleying into the open court. But the tentativeness returns next point as a weak volley allows Halep to pass and create a break-point opportunity. Konta veers back to nerves of steel with a crosscourt winner flush on the line, and we're back to deuce. It's so tense, so much at stake for both players. Konta moves Halep around nicely before finding the angle for a winner down the line, but another long forehand takes us back to deuce once more. A backhand drive-volley from Konta has hearts in mouths but finds the line, but Halep again hits back to force us back to deuce. Halep has made six unforced errors in over two hours of tennis; Konta is having to work for everything here, but she's up to the task again with another volley winner. Still, though, she can't get over the line in this game as she opts for a drop-shot when Halep leaves a return short but finds only the tape. Groans all round centre, but it's game point again as a netcord comes to Konta's rescue. Konta completes a monumental hold with a big serve and safe volley. We've only had two games in this final set; we could be here a while.

1815: Konta jumps all over a weak second serve from Halep to get to 30-30 but then sends a return long. A lob from Halep secures the opening game of the final set.

1810: There will be no further play on the outside courts today. The conclusion of Rybarikova v Vandeweghe will follow this match.

Tomorrow's order of play: 

Centre Court (1300 BST)
Andy Murray v Sam Querrey
Milos Raonic v Roger Federer 

Court 1 (1300 BST)
Gilles Muller v Marin Cilic
Tomas Berdych v Novak Djokovic 

1805: KONTA WINS THE SECOND SET 7-6 (7-5)

We go into a decider, and you have to see that seems the only fair way to settle this match. Has to be advantage Konta now, who has looked the likelier to break serve during regular play. The Sky Bet layers agree, making the British number one an 8/11 fav with Halep 11/10.

1804: SET POINT KONTA! Huge point, huge rally, but it's Konta who lands the decisive blow with a big forehand down the line that Halep can only get a frame on.

1803: Halep nets a backhand - 5-5.

1803: Konta sends a forehand long! Halep leads 5-4, and if she wins two points on her own serve will be through to the last four.

1802: What a challenge from Halep! Stops play to challenge, so it's all or nothing, and Hawk-Eye shows the ball has landed a millimetre long. Halep leads 4-3, but Konta quickly makes it 4-4 with a big first serve at just the right time.

1801: Great serving from Halep to open a 2-1 lead, and she then hits the baseline to york Konta and go 3-1 up. A forehand long from Halep keeps Konta in it at 3-2, and a great return of serve sets up an easy finish back behind the scampering Romanian to make it 3-3 at the change of ends.

1757: An ace completes a love hold for Halep, and we're into another tie-break to settle a second set that has, if anything, been even better than the first.

1754: Good hold from Konta in a bruising game with long, punishing rallies that generally go the way of the Briton, but my word she had to work for them. Good match, this. A third set would be most welcome.

1750: Konta pegs Halep back from 40-0 to deuce and finds herself two points away from the set. A second serve from Halep thuds hard into the tape but falls just the right side of the net for her, and she eventually wins the game as Konta volleys wide. Once again the door is ajar but Konta just cannot push through it. 5-5.

1744: Credit to Konta, who comes through a big game to lead again at 5-4*. Halep sensed the moment and landed a couple of blows along the way, but Konta came up with three forehand winners and an unreturnable serve to hold to 30.

1739: Two more break points go begging for Konta, and you wonder when these missed opportunities start to take their toll. Halep's fist-pump when she gets the game won tells its own story.

1734: Only nine points in two games as both players hold with ease. Konta ahead 4-3*, and will feel that she's played the better tennis for most of this match. The beauty of tennis, though, is how little that counts for if you don't do the business at the moments that matter.

1726: After a love hold for Halep, Konta again gets herself in a tangle of her own making with two unforced errors - the second of them with the court at her mercy sees 40-15 evaporate to deuce. She switches back on, though, with a big first serve and thumping forehand winner making it 3-2*.

1721: Comfortable service game threatens to turn ugly for Konta on the back of another botched put-away at the net. At 40-0 and with the ball arcing gently towards her, Konta's work appears done. But she pushes the ball back to Halep, who fires a return low, and Konta can't pick it up off her toes. A loose forehand and suddenly it's 40-30 before a wrongfooting crosscourt forehand gets Konta out of dodge. She leads 2-1*.

1716: More quality baseline play from Konta gets her to 15-40 on the Halep serve, but both break points melt tamely away with returns into the net. Another forehand into the net and one sent long, and it's 1-1. Just some hints of frustration emerging through the usually impenetrable Konta veneer.

1711: Feels like an important recovery here from Konta, who slips to 0-30 with a double-fault on the back of that wobbly breaker. Takes the next four points in fine style, though, ending with the best of the lot as Halep is run this way and that before a backhand crosscourt winner gives Konta the early lead in the second set.

1705: HALEP WINS FIRST SET 7-6 (7-2)

Halep dictating the points now, and breaks again after a lengthy exchange to extend the lead to *5-2. Wins both her service points to take the set. Superb tie-break from the Romanian, but a shocker from Konta, whose first serve - so strong up to that point - deserted her, and a couple of costly, costly errors leave her with a mountain to climb.

1703: First mini-break goes Halep's way as Konta pays the price for a first moment of uncertainty, far too tentative with an easy put away at the net and allowing her opponent to find a winner. But an infuriated Halep throws her head back in despair as a double-fault hands the break straight back. Advantage Halep again, though, as Konta balloons a drive-volley way long to trail *2-4 at the change of ends. Two major errors on service points from the Brit.

1659: Big moment as Konta finds herself in no man's land at 0-15 but somehow manages to squirm out of the point, and a gorgeous pick-up volley makes it 30-15. But an unforced error sees a big backhand dumped into the net and the pressure is on at 30-30. First serve to the rescue, Halep into the net, 40-30. Another big forehand does the trick, and it's into the tie-break we go.

1653: Nerveless drive-volley at 40-30 secures the hold for Halep and a 6-5* lead in an increasingly high-quality opening set.

1651: Konta holds for 5-5, and the level is high. Key moment an ace out wide at 15-15 that an unsuccessful Halep challenge reveals had clipped the very edge of the line.

1647: Champion tennis from Halep. Two aces help her to 40-0, but a clean return winner from Konta extends the game. Halep gets the game on the board, though, as Konta frames one into the crowd.

1644: Konta serves her way out of trouble from 0-30. Two aces and an unreturned serve and it's soon 4-4. That's 12 points out of the last 14 for Konta, and this next Halep service game suddenly feels massive in this match.

1642: It's raining on Court 1, and has been for some time. It's not raining on the other courts. I don't pretend to understand the science of it.

1640: Yeah, that had been coming. Konta's found her range in the grand manner here. Halep has no answer, and Konta breaks back. Eight points out of eight for the British number one between changeovers there, and in little more than two minutes 4-1 becomes 4-3*

1638: Couple of big forehand winners for Konta in a love service game. Signs that Konta's weight of shot is starting to trouble the Romanian, but it's still Halep with the advantage.

1636: For the second successive Halep service game, Konta forces break point but can't convert. Fine margins: there really has been precious little between these two in the opening five games, yet Halep leads 4-1*.

1630: Konta on the board with a confident and much-needed service hold.

1626: Konta gets a break point, but a couple of over-eager forehands sail long and it's 3-0* to the number-two seed.

1622: Fair to say prospects for much more play anywhere but Centre are pretty bleak. Still play going on around the place, but rain starting to fall, and plenty more to come according to the radar. Konta forces deuce on the Halep serve with a big crosscourt forehand. 

1620: Early problems for Konta, broken to 15 in her opening service game to trail 2-0. Halep will go to number one in the rankings with a win today and makes the ideal start.

1611: The wind has been picking up for the last few minutes on Court 1, and it looks like the inevitable rain has arrived on the back of it. Play suspended at 2-2 in the second set.

1607: Johanna Konta is on court, looking to become Britain's first women's singles quarter-finalist since 1978. Normal service resumed on Court 1, as Rybarikova breaks straight back and holds for 2-1*. Big story developing there for the world number 87.

1602: Something for Vandweghe to cheer at last, breaking Rybarikova in the first game of the second set.

1558: RYBARIKOVA WINS FIRST SET 6-3

An outrageous lob at 15-15 helps Rybarikova on her way to second break and 6-3 first-set win

1556: V WILLIAMS BEATS OSTAPENKO 6-3 7-5

That first shot in the inevitable Ball Boy War that will consume us all is Ostapenko's last significant contribution of Wimbledon 2017. Venus rolls on to the semi-finals, for the 10th time here.

1554: Ostapenko almost takes out a ball boy, screwing a return out wide into the steps of the umpire's chair. Ball boy never even flinched! They're scarily well drilled. One day the ball boys and girls will surely rise up and overpower us all.

1553: Having battled back in to the set and match, Ostapenko dumps three in a row into the net and Venus will now serve for it at *6-5. Leg two of the treble coming in...

1550: No dramas for Venus. It's 5-5.

1545: Venus must serve to stay in the second set at *4-5 as Ostapenko holds her nerve and serve despite throwing in a double-fault at 40-15.

Over on Court 1, Rabarikova extends her lead to 4-2* over double-fault-happy Vandeweghe.

1539: Ostapenko consolidates the break with a solid hold to 15 and now leads 4-3* in the second set.

1535: Rybarikova has the early break on Court 1 while, just as we were counting our profits, Ostapenko breaks back on Centre.

Can the youngster produce a comeback victory? She's 11/4 to oust the only remaining previous women's champion.

1527: Venus has a break in the second set and our 12/1 treble for Muguruza and Williams to win in straights sets and Konta to win is sitting pretty.

1524: Holds are exchanged at the start of the second set between Williams and Ostapenko, while Vandeweghe gets the second clash on Court 1 under way with her opening service game.  

1512: WILLIAMS WINS FIRST SET 6-3

Sure enough, Venus confidently holds and takes a huge step towards her second successive Wimbledon semi-final. Ostapenko made a nervous start and never really recovered against her opponent's power so plenty of improvement is needed if she's to take this match into a decider. 

1508: Ostapenko is clinging on in this first set after a tough hold but now Venus has the chance to serve for it at 5-3 up.

1502: MUGURUZA BEATS KUTNETSOVA 6-3 6-4

Muguruza storms into a 30-0 as her aggressive hitting forces two errors from Kuznetsova, but she then powers both a down-the-line forehand and then a seemingly straight-forward backhand drive volley into the net, taking us to 30-30. 

Her nerves are tested but a second-serve ace down the middle clear any concerns and she follows that up with an unreturned first-serve, also down the T, to reach the semi-finals. The Spaniard will await the winner of Vandeweghe versus Rybarikova.  

1500:  Kutnetsova holds for 4-5* with some vicious hitting and Muguruza will serve for the match and the first leg of our 12/1 treble…  

1459: The Latvian got her first game on the board but a comfortable service game from Venus puts the American 4-1 up in this opening set. 

1455: Ostapenko came from nowhere to defy pre-tournament odds of over 100/1 to become the first unseeded French Open champion since 1933 and the first Grand Slam winner from Latvia. It was also her maiden WTA Tour crown and she hasn't won another in the short time since. By reaching this stage of Wimbledon, the 20-year-old has already proved she has plenty of potential on grass but she has her work cut out against the experience of Venus. 

1450: Venus hasn't lifted the famous Venus Rosewater Dish since 2008 but her run to this year's Australian Open final, where she lost to sister Serena, certainly thrust her right back into the reckoning for another Grand Slam at the ripe old age of 37. Could it happen here on Saturday? The veteran is currently 6/1 to win her seventh but first she must get past the 13th seed. So far so good though, she's a break up at 2-0.

1444: Fist pumps against from Tim Clement as Muguruza secures the break in the second set to go with the first set in the bag.  The Spaniard looks well in control now and, dare I curse it, is cruising through to the semi-finals.  

1440: Former five-time champion Venus Williams is about to begin her quarter-final clash with the surprise French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko on Centre Court, with the American winning the toss to serve first.

1435: Back on Court 1 and this opening women's quarter-final is going with serve after four games of the second set as Kuznetsova looks to keep alive her hopes of reaching the last four here for the first time.

1425: DJOKOVIC BEATS MANNARINO 6-2 7-6 (7/5) 6-4 

It's all over and Djokovic reaches his ninth Wimbledon quarter-final and a 39th in all Grand Slams with a straight-sets victory over Mannarino, who did enjoy his fair share of moments to give the crowd plenty of entertainment in an otherwise one-sided match.

He will now meet Tomas Berduch in the last eight and I'm sure his head-to-head record of 25-2 against the Czech player will give him supreme confidence of another victory as he sets his sights on a fourth Wimbledon crown. 

1422: MUGURUZA WINS THE FIRST SET 6-3

With an inside-out backhand Muguruza secures the first set, despite hitting just four winners to Kuznetsova’s tally of 10.  

1419: Mannarino produces another brilliant winner - one of many during this gutsy display - to stay alive in the championships but now Djokovic will serve for the match at 5-4 up.

1414: The last time Djokovic lost to a player outside the world's top 50 at Wimbledon was way back in 2008 when Marat Safin, ranked 75, defeated him. It obviously won't be happening today and I've only mention that boring stat now because there won't be another opportunity to reel it out until next year's first round. 

1410: A mini Nadal-esc first pump from our tipster Tim Clement as Muguruza secures the break. She’s now serving at 4-2 up with Kuznetsova out to 5/2 to progress.  

1408: The next two games go with serve as Djokovic moves two games away from a place in the quarter-finals, where he'll play 11th seed Tomas Berdych.

1406: When, I mean if, Mannarino loses he will at least be able to return home with his head held high having matched his previous best run at a Grand Slam. There have been times today - as well as during his impressive victory over Gael Monfils - when he's shown more promise than his world ranking suggests but at 29-years-old it's hard to see him ever reaching a quarter-final.

1400: It's 3-1 now to Djokovic after a routine hold but don't give up all hope if you're a Mannarino fan because he did bounce back from a break down in the previous set to force a tie-break. 

1356: The women’s quarter-finals (what today is supposed to be all about) are finally under way, with Muguruza holding her first service game against Kuznetsova.  Having tipped the Spaniard to win 2-0, Tim Clement has his eye on that one and will keep us up-to-date.  

1355: Egg on the face of Mannarino, who fails in his attempt to entertain fans with a 'hot dog' shot to a ball which had already bounced out. Chuckles all round from the very polite, as ever, Wimbledon crowd. More importantly, he loses his service game as Djokovic lets out an almost Grand Slam-winning roar.

1350: If Mannarino's heart and spirit were broken after losing the tie-break, he's doing a good job of hiding it as he fights back from 15-40 down to hold serve in the opening game of the third set, thrilling the crowd with a superb winner down the line. 

1345: "What's happening in the women's quarter-finals?" I hear you ask. 

Well, the British weather is delaying the start of the action on Court 1, where  Muguruza and Kuznetsova are still waiting for a break in the clouds. The forecast suggests it's going to be one of those frustrating stop-start afternoons for players and fans alike - excluding those on Centre Court of course - and it could therefore be a very long wait for Magdalena Rybarikova and Coco Vandeweghe to get going.  

1342: DJOKOVIC TAKES SECOND SET TO LEAD 6-2 7-6 (7/5)

Djokovic is pumped up as back-to-back errors from Mannarino allows him to serve for the second set in this breaker and at 6-5 up he lands a timely ace to go two sets to the good.

1340: The tie-break begins with the opening five points going against the serve as Mannarino edges into a 3-2 lead before holding his next with a lovely little drop shot to go 4-2 up. However Djokovic hits back when he ends a long rally of high quality with an even better drop shot of his own to get the tie-break back on serve. 

1332: The three-time Wimbledon champion has been taken to a tie-break by the world number 51, who is being helped along by a growing number of unforced errors from his below-par opponent. But let that take nothing away from Mannarino.

1325: Djokovic had no problems beating the Frenchman in straight sets in their only previous meeting in the second round here last year but at 5-5, he's now proving quite a tough nut to crack after showing a much softer middle in the opening set.

1320: It's all square at 4-4 in this second set as Mannarino holds despite being put under more pressure from Djokovic, who has yet to drop a set so far in this tournament. The closest he's come to being taken to four sets was a solitary tie-break in the previous match against Ernests Gulbis.

1315: Mannarino cuts himself a slice of respectability by halting the Djokovic charge with a much-needed break of serve. The Frenchman clenches his fist but is this a mere delaying of the inevitable. 

1310: I say that, but the rain has arrived to thwart the start of play on Court 1. Thankfully we don't have this problem over on Centre...

1302: Play is about to begin on Court 1, with Garbine Muguruza of Spain taking on Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova for a place in the women's semi-finals.

Although Kuznetsova is seeded seven, it's her 14th seeded opponent who heads into the clash as the 4/7 favourite for victory.

Muguruza was of course the runner-up here in 2015 when losing out to Serena Williams while she went one better at the French Open a year later.

Kuznetsova, a former French Open and US Open champion, has never before reached the last four at Wimbledon having lost her previous three quarter-final appearences in 2003, 2005 and 2007.

1300: Back-to-back errors from Mannarino gives Djokovic an early break in this second set and a routine hold puts him three games to the good.

1255: The Serb takes the first set 6-2 with a second successive backhand error from Mannarino.

It was a near flawless opener from the world No 2, offering up just four unforced errors and zero break-points.

1235: Djokovic has come flying out of the blocks, breaking in Mannarino’s first serve game then holding comfortably to lead 5-2*.

It’s looking an increasingly ominous task for the Frenchman, who will serve to stay in the first set…

1210: So what are we punting on today? Well our tipster Tim Clement has strong feelings about three of the women’s quarter-finals, giving a wide berth to Magdalena Rybarikova v Coco Vandeweghe. He’s going for Johanna Konta to progress (evens), and then both Venus Williams and Garbine Muguruza to win in straight-sets, a tasty 12/1 treble to keep us going. Where’s your money today? Could Adrian Mannarino snatch a set 7/4? Click here to read today’s full betting preview here

1205: The added bonus for the fans on Centre Court right now is being able to see Djokovic take on Mannarino, which was unable to be played yesterday due to Gilles Muller's marathon victory over Rafael Nadal on Court 1.

Wimbledon organisers could have actually made a call to put second seed's clash under the roof of Centre Court last night but they opted against it, which obviously courted its fair share of criticism.

1200: Good afternoon and welcome to our live blog from SW19, as Johanna Konta later bids to become the first British woman to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals since Virginia Wade managed it way, way back in 1977.

Her impressive victory over Caroline Garcia yesterday saw her match Jo Durie's run to the quarter-finals 33 years ago but there's no doubt Konta is ambitious enough not to settle for anything less than three more wins.

This of course would see her emulate Wade's triumph of 1977 and she is currently Sky Bet's joint 9/2 favourite (although currently Price Boosted to 11/2) alongside Garbine Muguruza and Coco Vandeweghe to do so.

However, her opponent today is second seed Simona Halep, who will be strongly fancied by many punters at 5/1 to go all the way - let along end Konta's hopes today - so don't expect anything other than a tough battle on Centre Court.

Konta v Halep is the last of three singles matches on the showpiece court today, with the action kicking off with the remaining men's last-16 match carried over from yesterday - Novak Djokovic v Adrian Mannarino.

Click here for the full order of play for today