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Barbora Strycova sets up Serena Williams semi-final at Wimbledon

Barbora Strycova sets up Serena Williams semi-final at Wimbledon
© Reuters
The Czech is unseeded in the draw.

Barbora Strycova will face Serena Williams in her first grand slam semi-final after shocking British hope Johanna Konta at Wimbledon.

The 33-year-old from the Czech Republic came from 4-1 down in the first set to win 7-6 (5) 6-1 on Centre Court.

Strycova's only other quarter-final appearance at a major tournament was here five years ago, but on Thursday she will get a shot at seven-time winner Williams for a place in the final.

"It sounds crazy. It's happening but I can't really believe it," she told the BBC.

"It was one of the best matches I've played here. I haven't been playing on Centre Court so it was a special moment.

"It's a great week to play (Williams) and a match I look forward to."

Williams proved she is battle-hardened after coming through a thrilling three-setter in the all-American showdown against Alison Riske to reach her 12th semi-final in 19 appearances at the Championships.

Riske, unseeded and ranked 55, had knocked out world number one Ashleigh Barty 24 hours earlier, and she pushed Williams all the way.

  • Serena Williams v Barbora Strycova
  • Simona Halep v Elina Svitolina

But for Riske there was no reward despite five breaks of serve – converting every single break point she created – against the 23-time grand-slam winner who won 6-4 4-6 6-3.

"I just needed to just fight," admitted Williams.

"Alison, I mean, she played great throughout the whole tournament. She's beaten so many amazing players, players that have had great years.

"She was not giving it to me. I needed to step up and take it. That's what I had to do."

Having been pegged back to 1-1 by the stubborn Riske, Williams seemed to find a second wind after tying her hair up, eventually wrapping up victory with her 19th ace.

"It was just in my way. I was missing a shot because it was in my face," she said.

"I was like, 'this is not happening'. I just needed to get it out of the way, put the business bun up and just get to business."

The second semi-final sees seventh seed Simona Halep face Elina Svitolina, seeded eighth.

Simona Halep is the seventh seed
Simona Halep is the seventh seed (Adam Davy/PA)

Romanian Halep found herself 3-0 down in the opening set as China's Shuai Zhang briefly threatened a shock.

But Halep recovered to take the first set on a tie-break and then raced through the second to win 7-6 (4) 6-1.

Halep said: "I expected her to play so well, she beat me the last two times that we played.

"I was a little bit nervous before the match, a little bit stressed. I knew that she's going to come and hit the balls very strong.

"Also when she hits them, the ball doesn't bounce that much. It's really tough to return.

"But I kept fighting. I knew that I have to be 100 per cent for every ball, then I will break her rhythm a little bit. It happened in the second set."

Ukrainian Svitolina was a 7-5 6-4 winner over Czech Karolina Muchova to advance to her first grand-slam semi.

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Britain's Johanna Konta reacts during her fourth round match against Czech Republic's Petra Kvitova on July 8, 2019
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