Venus Williams prepares to face big-serving Johanna Konta in Wimbledon women's singles semi-final

New Delhi: American veteran Venus Williams was sharpening her reactions for the barrage of big serves she can expect in her Wimbledon semi-final against British favourite Johanna Konta on Thursday, going through a relentless practise routine on the eve of battle.

The 37-year-old spent 45 minutes on the dusty Aorangi Park practise courts on Wednesday, hitting back serves delivered at high velocity by a male hitting partner.

Williams sent many returns whistling back to the baseline, occasionally getting a thumbs up from her coaching team, while others sailed way beyond the margins of the court.

Konta tops the ace leaderboard in the women`s singles with 28, one more than Williams who is the oldest woman to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals for 23 years.

Against Simona Halep on Tuesday, Konta offered up only two break points in a match lasting two hours and 38 minutes.

"Johanna`s serve is a massive weapon," her coach Wim Fissette told Reuters this week. "Most woman players would like a first serve as good as Jo`s."

Following her quarter-final victory over Jelena Ostapenko, Williams told a news conference that she would be expecting a close battle with her British opponent.

"I think we play a very similar style," she said. "Aggressive, serve well, return well, very solid off the ground. So really it`s just about playing that game better and see where you find openings on that day."

Williams is bidding to win her sixth Wimbledon singles title and eighth grand slam -- nine years after last lifting the aptly-named Venus Rosewater Dish on Centre Court.

Konta, who will be playing in her first Wimbledon semi-final, is attempting to become the first British winner of the women`s singles since Virginia Wade in 1977.