We will have a new women’s champion in SW19 this year and today four will become two as Elina Svitolina takes on Marketa Vondrousova before Aryna Sabalenka faces Ons Jabeur on Centre Court for a place in the final.
Svitolina is the crowd favourite, returning to the sport after giving birth and channelling the atrocities that are going on in her home country of Ukraine during a thrilling run which has seen her beat grand slam champions Venus Williams, Sofia Kenin, Victoria Azarenka and Iga Swiatek. She faces world no42 Vondrousova, who is enjoying a career-best run at Wimbledon.
Jabeur is also gaining many new fans and has gained revenge for last year’s final defeat against Elena Rybakina in the quarter-final, but now faces no2 seed Sabalenka who is herself playing some of the best tennis of her career. Follow both matches LIVE with Standard Sport’s dedicated blog below, featuring expert insight and analysis from Dom Smith on Centre Court.
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Vondrousova the deserving winner, but Svitolina has been excellent this fortnight
Vondrousova, whose grandfather was the Czechoslovak national champion in the pentathlon in 1935, is into just her second-ever Grand Slam final after being thrashed 6-1, 6-3 by Ashleigh Barty in the 2019 French Open final.
It is BY FAR her best-ever Wimbledon showing, having previously reached the second round in 2021.
Svitolina was a 2019 Wimbledon and US Open semi-finalist, but despite rallying towards the end of that second-set, she came up short in her bid to reach a Grand Slam final for the first time.
Vondrousova the winner — 6-3, 6-3 — and she’ll face the winner of Ons Jabeur vs Aryna Sabalenka in Saturday’s final.
VONDROUSOVA IS INTO THE FINAL
Svitolina 3-6, 3-6 Vondrousova
Vondrousova lets out a ‘COME ON” when Svitolina nets for 30-0, with the Czech knowing she is now just two points away from her first-ever Wimbledon final.
But she then produces a double-fault — fitting in this match strewn with unforced errors.
And then Vondrousova makes the wrong decision, forehanding into the net after a succession of backspin slices from both players.
But after a magnificent ace, Vondrousova has match point.
She does it. WOW.
VONDROUSOVA BREAKS
Svitolina 3-6, 3-5 Vondrousova
Double fault from Svitolina for 15-15, and then 15-30 when she goes long.
She knows how crucial this game is in determining the likely course of this match, and so is devastated when she misses a drop shot at the net.
Two break points. Svitolina goes long. That’s it. Vondrousova has broken her and is serving for the match.
Svitolina a game away from levelling in the second set
Svitolina 3-6, 3-4 Vondrousova
Vondrousova loses the first point on serve and is in danger of letting her 4-0 lead in this set dissipate as the score on her serve reads 0-30.
But then a hammered serve from the Czech 24-year-old to get her back on track. Svitolina is then gutted with herself and staring up at the heavens when she goes long for 30-30.
Vondrousova misses a net shot to bring up one set point for Svitolina, but some excellent drop shots from both players end in Vondrousova saving the break point — and then Svitolina nets poorly.
And then a remarkable double-fault from Vondrousova. Deuce again.
Vondrousova nets. Break point. Svitolina takes it.
4-3 now.
Wow. Svitolina roaring back
Svitolina 3-6, 2-4 Vondrousova
Svitolina wins a long rally at 30-0 that ends with Vondrousova slicing long.
The confidence is back for Svitolina now, who completes a hold to love with a stunning drop shot on the angle.
SVITOLINA BREAKS
Svitolina 3-6, 1-4 Vondrousova
Vondrousova storms into a 40-0 lead but Svitolina shows she is not going away that easily as she gets back to deuce.
But her smash effort is then tame — indicative of her struggles right now — and Vondrousova puts away the winner.
Yet at deuce, Svitolina realises she is still just about in this match if she can just break her opponent here. She comes out swinging and gets advantage, only for Vondrousova to wipe it out with an ace.
Vondrousova is eventually broken. Svitolina back in it?
VONDROUSOVA BREAKS FOR FIFTH TIME IN A ROW
Svitolina 3-6 , 0-4 Vondrousova
The problem for Svitolina at the moment is that she thinks everything is going against her and so she’s not in the frame of mind to go for some shots she could actually go for.
There’s a winner for Vondrousova, who is 30-0 down, which the Ukrainian would surely have gone for in any other match. At 40-15, Svitolina nets. Soon enough it’s deuce. Again.
The spectators under the roof here on Centre Court get behind Svitolina when she is break point down, and it works as Vondrousova nets.
Massive roar from Vondousova after she breaks Svitolina for the fifth time in a row after a marathon deuce.
Vondrousova holds
Svitolina 3-6, 0-3 Vondrousova
Really odd moment when Vondrousova’s ace for game-to-love is challenged halfheartedly by Svitolina who sits down at her chair thinking she has wrongly challenged more out of desperation than anything else.
But up she gets when she is shown to have challenged correctly.
Soon enough, though, Vondrousova serves out the game for 3-0 in the second set.
Vondrousova breaks!
Svitolina 3-6 , 0-2 Vondrousova
Svitolina puffs out her cheeks and drops her shoulders in disappointment when her 15-0 lead is wiped out by a long shot, but Voundrousova then misses a lob.
Poor net shot from Svitolina for 30-30, and then another shot crashed into the net to bring up break point.
She looks devastated by her form at the moment… and then puts away an excellent volley which seems to fire her AND the crowd up.
And then an absolutely stunning, stunning get from Vondrousova, who stretches into the open court to flick Svitolina’s smash back over.
Svitolina is broken, and Vondrousova frankly deserves her fourth break in a row. Excellent from the Czech.
Vondrousova holds
Svitolina 3-6, 0-1 Vondrousova
Vondrousova gets off to the perfect start in the second set despite allowing Svitolina back into a 30-0 game with a poor miss.
Superb serve for 40-15, before the Ukrainian can only find the tramlines.
Vondrousova well, well on top at present.
