The Wimbledon women’s final four is set after the quarterfinals played out at the All England Club on Tuesday. Home hopes faded, young stars burned out but some big tennis names powered their way through.
NO KONT-IUATION FOR HOME HOPES
The quest for a home winner of Wimbledon has been postponed for another year at least after Johanna Konta was defeated in straight sets (7-6, 6-1) by unseeded Czech player Barbora Strycova in Tuesday's quarterfinal in front of an expectant, but ultimately disappointed, Center Court.
Konta displayed the verve which guided her to the tournament's final eight in the first set before losing a tie-break, but in the second the Brit's challenge disintegrated as she saw her serve repeatedly broken.
SERENA SURVIVES SCARE
Serena Williams survived a scare against fellow American Alison Riske as she dropped the second set but an impressive tally of 19 aces to 1 eventually told to hand the seven-time Wimbledon winner a chance at an eighth singles trophy at the All England Club when she faces Strycova in Thursday's semi-final.
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Williams will be joined in the semi-finals by Elina Svitolina who got past Karolina Muchova in a close affair on Court One which was edged by the Ukrainian (7-5, 6-4).
In the process, Svitolina became the first Ukrainian women ever to reach a Grand Slam final.
SIMONA STEERS PAST ZHANG
The top seeded women's player remaining is also through as seventh-seeded Simona Halep defeated China's Zhang Shuai (7-6, 6-1).
Halep and Svitlona will also duel in two days' time to determine one half of the Wimbledon 2019 ladies’ final.