0-15. Konta takes the first point. 0-30. And the second.

Hang on, is Halep, the world number two, getting tight?

The Romanian, remember, led this final set 5-1 with a double break.

She produces a big serve to get it back to 15-30 but then Halep's pressure forces a mistake and it's 15-40 and two break points.

Brilliant backhand saves the first. But not the second. Super ground-strokes from the Brit and she takes the game.

Halep can't believe it. Neither can most others. Brilliant brilliant stuff. It's level and Konta to serve.

Image source, Getty Images

Konta starts the game well and moves to 30-15 courtesy of a couple of lovely shots. Amazing how they can still play lovely shots after 120 minutes of racing around.

Halep gets it back to 30-30 but a fine Konta forehand, right on the line, means Halep can only dolly it over the net, and the British number one duly puts the ball away. 40-30. And she takes the next pointtoo.

Suddenly it's 5-4. One more break and she's back in it. Can she do it...? Whatever happens, what a performance from Konta, who seems to be growing in stature every time she steps on a tennis court.

What a battler Konta is.

She scraps her way to 30-40 and a breakpoint. And Halep double faults. Well, that's a turn-up for the books. There's life in this one yet.

Crystal Palace have signed Belgian youngster Jason Lokilo from Anderlecht.

The 17-year-old winger has been training with Palace's under-21 and under-18 squads since the summer and has now received international clearance to complete his switch to Selhurst Park. 

Image source, CPFC

"I'm very happy to have signed with Crystal Palace," Lokilo told the club's website, external. "It's a good club making progress. 

With Yannick Bolasie, Wilfried Zaha and Jason Puncheon, it's very good for wingers!"

Both players look shattered. Almost two hours on court, the roof of the arena is closed, it's hot and humid ... put it this way, their tennis gear will need a thorough wash this evening.

Halep is serving for the match. Is there to be a late twist?

Last chance saloon for Konta but she's not come this far to go down with a whimper.

Two good points make it 30-0, but then a glorious from Halep, who's suddenly brimming with confidence, makes it 30-15.

Konta responds with a forehand deep into the corner of the court which proves too hot to handle, and then nails a big first serve. 

5-2, and quite right too - she's played too well to have only won a single game this set. It's been close all the way through, some great rallies.

The match has been going for one hour and 45 minutes but it might not last too much longer. 

30-15 down it looks like Konta is about to crumble. Not the case. She hits back to move to 30-40 and earn a breakpont but then nets with a forehand. Deuce.

Bonus for Konta though, as a big Halep first serve is called out despite being clearly in. No over-rule from the umpire, a distracted Halep nets her second servce, and it's another breakpoint.

Alas Halep ends another blistering rally with a superb cross court forehand. Back to deuce, another breakpoint, deuce again, before finally Halep gets over the line courtesy of a Konta error 5-1. Konta has to serve to stay in it.

Image source, Empics

Liverpool goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux has resumed his loan spell with Swindon after apologising for paying a fine with one pence pieces.

He was sent back to Anfield after using the coins to pay a £50 fine for turning up late to training.

The 21-year-old has played nine games for Swindon after joining them on a season-long loan, with one clean sheet.

"Lawrence is going to come back, he is very humble and very apologetic," boss Mark Cooper said. "I thought it was brilliant banter, but in the context it was the wrong way to go about it."

BBC Radio 5 Live

What are you doing at lunch? Does it involve listening to 5 live's daily football podcast? You can tune in here as you nip to the gym, have a lie down, munch down on a sandwich etc.

Back on the Konta serve and it's a big first point, Konta producing a lovely little drop shot, Halep just about reaching it but her return is weak and would have been put away by Konta ... but it clips the top of the net, Konta can only lob it up in the air and Halep puts away the volley.

The Romanian gets lucky and it proves a big point. Halep, helped by a contentious line-call, moves to 0-40 and sets up three break points.

She only needs one, Konta - trying to push her opponent back - overcooking a forehand.

Alarm bells are not just tinkling gently, they are now pretty deafening. 4-1 and a double-break to Halep in the final set.

Konta's form has seen her rocket from 126th in the rankings to 66th within three months.  She will replace Heather Watson as British number one in next week's rankings.

A superbly controlled volley gives her a sniff of a chance on the Halep serve, moving to 15-30. But Halep, mean old spoilsport that she is, takes the next two points and looks to have slammed the door in Konta's face when all she has to do is whack home a simple forehand with the Brit off the court. But Halep misses it. A terrible miss, like a striker tapping the ball wide from a yard out.

The game goes to deuce, Konta moves to advantage after a brilliant rally but then puts a forehand wide. She screamed something after that error. I'm not sure what but it was very possibly not suitable for a daytime audience.

Halep makes the most of the escape and wraps up the game. That was an opportunity gone begging. Still only one break down though.

It's a shame, given the quality of tennis in this match, how few people are in the arena in China to watch it. It's pretty deserted, a ripple of applause after each point.

This service game is another struggle, Halep a completely different animal to the one we saw at the start of the match.

But Konta shows admirable strength and tenacity to get through it. Teeth clinched she takes it to 30. She's back in it. 2-1 to Halep in the decider.

Image source, Getty Images

Captain Alastair Cook is urging England's cricketers to carry their momentum from this summer's Ashes victory into their series with Pakistan in the UAE.

"We want to win games of cricket and do it with a smile on our face, there's been some elements of that which is encouraging, now we need to be more consistent," he said.

"We played some really good cricket and some cricket we shouldn't be proud of, we didn't always perform to our level."

Konta made 14 unforced errors in the second set, compared to Halep's nine and that, in a nutshell, was the difference between the players.

There's a couple more in this game, helping Halep gallop to 40-0. A loose forehand with Konta out of play halts her march to 2-0 ahead, but Konta puts a forehand long herself off a Halep second serve and it's game over.

Konta nips for a bathroom break at the end of the second set. I love that phrase. So polite isn't it and much less crude than saying she's nipped to the bog.

Konta to serve first in the third, crucial set and it's a struggle. Halep is hitting the ball deeper and with more power, making less errors. Konta is trading magnificently with her but Halep is beginning to look slightly the stronger player.

Dangerous to say that though because Konta is such a fighter and hits back when you least expect her to.

It goes to deuce and Halep takes the game when Konta nets with a backhand. A big, early break. Things are suddenly looking a little bleaker.

Image source, Getty Images

Why are English clubs struggling in Europe? BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty has been exploring the issue. Here are some of your comments from his blog.

Freindleonewhocares: I believe it has a lot to do with our top teams trying to "buy"their positions with overseas stars instead of being patient and building a complete team that functions as a team without any ego chasers in it.

LordMalthus: Too much money means too big squads. Players being 'rested' means players aren't used to playing together, preventing effective combinations being formed, and eroding 'team' spirit. Easier to pull for 15 players rather than 25. (see English rugby...). Great sides in the past won as many matches on far fewer players - and it's why Palace, Stoke, Everton, Saints etc. are doing so well.

A dodgy decision by Halep to attempt a drop shot at 15-15 allows Konta a glimmer of a chance to set up a break point.

The door is slammed in her face by Halep, who teases an error out of her opponent to make it 30-30. And she sees out the game, and the second set, in rapid fashion.

One-set each, all to play for in the third and final set.

According to the WTA's website, , externalHalep has career earnings of more than $10m. Konta has won less than $1m, which sort of sums up what an upset it would be should Konta hit back in the third and win this contest.

Image source, Getty Images

Halep produces a glorious backhand down the line at 30-30 that even Roger Federer would have struggled to return.

It sets up a breakpoint and Halep takes it, courtesy of a forehand put long by Konta.

A shame for the Brit, who had just done the hard work by breaking moments before. It means it is 5-3 in the second set and Halep has a chance to level the match.

The winner, by the way, will face Venus Williams in the last eight, who the other day achieved this., external

Image source, Getty Images

Italian sports website Tutto Mercato Web, external is reporting that Chelsea have joined Arsenal and Liverpool in the chase to sign 23-year-old Sporting Lisbon midfielderWilliam Carvalho.

By the way in case you're wondering why we're getting excited by Johanna Konta, it's because she has been on a quite fantastic run of form for the last few months, winning 20 of her last 21 games, reaching the fourth round of the US Open in the process.

If you're not au fait with her, here are a few facts for you...

Image source, BBC Sport