When Johanna Konta steps on to court tomorrow for her quarter-final at the Australian Open she will see Serena Williams, the ultimate test in tennis, staring her down from across the net.

But unlike so many of the all-conquering American’s opponents in the past, the Briton is unlikely to blink, believing she can produce what would be her biggest ever win.

Her form since the start of the year, victory in Sydney and four straight-set wins here at Melbourne Park has been mightily impressive, the latest of which was a 6-1, 6-4 victory over the experienced Russian Ekaterina Makarova.

When the tournament began, Patrick Mouratoglou, the coach of Serena Williams, said he felt Konta and Karolina Pliskova, who last night reached the quarter-finals, were the two biggest threats to the 35-year-old American winning a seventh Australian Open title.

And yesterday, the Frenchman was even more expansive in his praise of the ninth seed, who was ranked outside the top 100 just two years ago but who is now a legitimate title threat.

“She makes me feel like she plays with no fear,” Mouratoglou said. “Not that other players have fears but she doesn’t think, in a good way. There is no hesitation, she goes for every shot, 100 percent, with no doubt.”

The work Konta did over the past two years with her mind coach has been well documented, helping her to be play with more tunnel-vision on court, cutting out any outside influences, including the score.

“It works,” Mouratoglou said. “I don’t know if this made the difference, but she’s a different player. Definitely, there is only one way to beat her, you have to (outhit) her.

“If you hope that she is going to miss and play a defensive style, then I think you have no chance.

“You can counter-punch against her, like a player like (Angelique) Kerber (the defending champion and world No.1) would like to play against her, because she uses the (opponent’s) pace all the time.

“But if it’s not your game, you have to play faster than her, stronger, return better, serve better.”

Konta has repeatedly discussed what she likes to call the process, the journey to this point in her career, concentrating only on doing her job.

When she is facing a quarter-final against a woman going for an open-era record 23rd grand slam title, that is likely to be easier said than done.

Her coach, Wim Fissette has told her to be ready to cope with the intimidation factor Williams brings to the court, to expect her to roar, get in her face.

If she can get to the point where she is serving for the match, on the verge of victory, though, how will Konta stop herself from being caught up in the moment, getting tight with the finishing line in sight.

“You have also got to put things in perspective,” she said. “Everyone you see playing has been playing since they were a little girl. And it's no secret that to get to whatever sport or even whatever area of life, if you want to be part of the elite and if you want to get to the top of your field, there will be numerous sacrifices you'll need to make.

“When you get to a position where you might see a glimmer of what you have dreamed of as a little girl or what you hoped for, what you've worked so hard for, it can feel kind of an all-or-nothing moment, or ‘what if I never get this chance again’?

“You have to go back to things that have got substance and then in the end just trust in the work that you do, if it's in the cards for you that you will get another opportunity or you won't, really love the sport for what it is and be grateful for the opportunities that it brings you, not necessarily what you wish it would.”

Konta believes she can win, which is half the battle and whatever Williams throws at her from the other side of the court, she is going to be ready.

“I believe in my own ability,” she said. “I believe in the good things that I bring to the court, and I believe in my ability to fight till the very end.

“It's about playing, me going out there and doing what I want to do against her, and it will be about just staying focused on that. And if that brings me good things on that day, and if that puts me in a position to come through, then that's great.”

“I've got to focus on the work and not think of whether I can or cannot beat her. Yeah, I just need to stay on the work.”

Williams was pushed hard by the Czech Barbora Strycova in her fourth-round match yesterday, winning 7-5, 6-4, claiming she was glad it had been so close.

But the American knows she will need to be on her game right from the start against Konta.

“I have watched her game a lot,” she said. “She has a very attacking game. I know her game pretty well. I look forward to it.”

“I have absolutely nothing to lose in this tournament. Everything here is a bonus for me. Obviously I'm here to win. Hopefully I can play better, I can only go better.”

Fifth seed Pliskova ended Australian interest with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Daria Gavrilova and she’ll play Croatia’s Mirjana Lucic-Baroni in the last eight.