BRITAIN’S Johanna Konta was forced to retire from her Brisbane International quarter-final clash with Elina Svitolina yesterday due to injury.

Konta raced through the first set to win it 6-1 and was then denied a straight-sets victory in a tie-break in the second.

She eventually called it a day at 3-2 down in the deciding set, having earlier requested the trainer.

Konta told reporters that she hoped it was “nothing more than a low-grade strain and more muscle spasm than anything.”

Third seed Svitolina will meet second seed Karolina Pliskova in the semi-finals after she beat Kaia Kanepi 3-6 7-5 6-2.

Qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich needed three sets to see off Alize Cornet 3-6 6-2 6-3 and she will now face Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova, who defeated Aleksandra Krunic 6-2 6-4.