Wimbledon 2022 highlights, women's semi-finals: Rybakina beats Halep in straight sets; to face Jabeur in the final

STAT!

Last Grand Slam final between two women’s first-timers: Emma Raducanu vs Leylah Fernandez at 2021 US Open

Last Wimbledon final between two women’s first-timers: Karen Hantze Susman vs Věra Suková in 1962

Rybakina, a former Russian player, is into the Wimbledon final in the year Russians and Belarussians are banned. Oh the irony!

Elena Rybakina into the final

Elena Rybakina is through to the Wimbledon final after beating Simona Halep 6-3, 6-3 in 75 minutes. A poor day with the serve for Halep and the 2019 champion exits in the last-four. Waiting for Rybakina in the final is Ons Jabeur.

Rybakina 6-3, 6-3 Halep (* denotes next server)

Halep serving to stay in the match. Starts by forcing Rybakina into an error and on the second the Kazakh displays good hands for a volley winner. Halep makes it 30-15 as the serve return goes long. Another easy point comes Simona’s way and she has two opportunities to hold. One goes away with a thumping serve return which Halep slaps into the net. Followed by a double fault – ninth of the match. Crowd tries to push and urge Halep on as she looks down in frustration. An 83mph first serve from Halep, at the end of the rally, the Romanian sends forehand wide. On match point, Rybakina with a winner into the corner and she is through to the final!

Rybakina 6-3, 5-3 *Halep (* denotes next server)

An ace to close the game out and Rybakina is inching towards the final. Halep would hope her serve holds through this time

STATS!

Simona Halep:

First set: 3️⃣ double faults

Second set: 5️⃣ double faults

Rybakina* 6-3, 3-2 Halep (* denotes next server)

Halep’s troubles with the serve continue. She throws in a double fault. Misses a simple shot and looks at her box in frustration. At 30-30, Rybakina plays a perfect point as Halep runs around to make her hit one more ball. The Kazakh closes the point out with a simple volley at the net. On break point, yet another double fault. Yikes! BREAK!

Rybakina 6-3, 2-2 *Halep (* denotes next server)

BREAK! Rybakina with a poor serve and Halep gets the break back. The former World No 1 suddenly growing in confidence and finding her shots. How will the serve hold up though?

Stats!

Simona Halep coming into the semi:

Broken: 1.4 times per match
Second serve points won: 62%
First serve points won: 72%
Break points saved: 65%

Today:

Broken: Twice
Second serve points won: 35%
First serve points won: 71%
Break points saved: 71%

Rybakina* 6-3, 1-0 Halep (* denotes next server)

BREAK! Been a woeful day with the serve for Halep and it continues. She delivers back-to-back double faults and is broken in the first game of the second set.

First set in numbers

First set: Elena Rybakina 6-3

Elena Rybakina wins the opening set 6-3 in 37 minutes. The Kazakh player has done wonderfully to ping Halep back and not allowing her to relax her arms. Two aces in the final game of the set. She gets the job done on fourth set point as Halep’s forehand goes awry

Rybakina* 5-3 Halep (* denotes next server)

Halep saves a set point to hold serve. On set point, she moves up to the net on a short ball and casually top spins the backhand into open court. Holds with a big serve that goes unreturned

Tomorrow’s Wimbledon schedule:

???????? Novak Djokovic vs ???????? Cameron Norrie

???????? Rafael Nadal vs ???????? Nick Kyrgios

Looks like Nadal has informed the organisers that he will take court despite reports of a 7mm abdomen tear

Rybakina* 4-2 Halep (* denotes next server)

Rybakina with a fierce forehand into the corner on break point and it looks like she has the break sealed for a double advantage. But Halep rips a forehand return and then romps forehand ot put pressure on Elena and eke out an error. Halep holds after Rybakina’s forehand slice goes wide

Rybakina 4-1 *Halep (* denotes next server)

Rybakina comes through a challenging serve to hold. Halep has the opportunity to apply pressure but sends a simple, short ball long. Slaps her thigh in anger. She’s not found her rhythm just yet

Rybakina* 3-1 Halep (* denotes next server)

Rybakina lets an opportunity to get a double break pass and Halep is up on the scoreboard. This hasn’t been comfortable at all for Simona and Rybakina is successfully getting Halep off guard with drop shots or returns behind her

Rybakina 3-0 *Halep (* denotes next server)

Rybakina then holds comfortably to consolidate the break. Drops just one point on the way to the hold

Rybakina* 2-0 Halep (* denotes next server)

Simona Halep is broken in her very first serve effort and Rybakina showing no signs of nerves in her first major semi-final. A forehand miss and Rybakian takes a 2-0 lead

Simona Halep’s run to the semis

Elena Rybakina’s run to the semis

Get to know: Simona Halep

Simona Halep hopes to recreate the “perfect match” that delivered the 2019 Wimbledon title.

The former world number one from Romania collected her second Grand Slam crown at the All England Club three years ago.

Her first was at the French Open in 2018.

However, a calf injury ruled her out of the 2021 tournament, sidelining her for three months.

“That was the perfect match of my life,” said 30-year-old Halep as she reflected on the 2019 Wimbledon final, where she defeated Serena Williams for the loss of just four games.

“Now I’m playing really well. I’m feeling confident that I feel the game the way I felt back then. Yeah, only positive things, good memories.”

Halep is the only one of Thursday’s four semi-finalists not to drop a set at this year’s tournament.

She is also the one with the greatest experience, playing in her ninth Grand Slam semi-final.

Get to know Elena Rybakina

Elena Rybakina will attempt to reach a first Wimbledon final, counting her blessings that, despite being a Russian-born player, she escaped the tournament ban on her compatriots.

Rybakina was born in Moscow but switched her nationality to Kazakhstan in 2018 to take advantage of greater financial help.

She now finds herself in the semi-finals at the same tournament from which Russian and Belarusian players were banned following the invasion of Ukraine.

“Everybody wants to compete,“said the 23-year-old Rybakina. “They were not choosing where they born. Of course, I feel for them.”

She admitted she was fortunate to have switched to representing Kazakhstan.

“I think it was very good timing because Kazakhstan were looking for players. I was looking for some help. They believed in me. So I think it was very good combination.”

Standing at 6 feet (1.84 metres), world number 23 Rybakina is the big-hitting star of the women’s tournament, firing an event-leading 44 aces over five rounds so far.

A quick look at the two semi-finalists

Halep vs Rybakina

On to the second semi-final then. Simona Halep takes on Elena Rybakina. One is a two-time Grand Slam champion. The other is making her first semi-final appearance at a major. Halep holds a 2-1 head-to-head

Match stats

Beautiful words from Jabeur at the end:

“It’s a dream come true from years and years of work and sacrifice. I’m really happy that it’s paying off and I’ll continue for one more match now.”

“I think it was more difficult running for her balls. She killed me. She has to make me a BBQ now to make up for all the running I did on the court … She’s such an inspiration for so many players including me.”

“I’m a proud Tunisian woman standing here today. I know in Tunisia they’re going crazy right now. 

I just try to inspire as much as I can. I want to see more and more – not just Tunisian, but Arab and African players on the tour.”

ONS JABEUR IS INTO THE FINAL!

Ons Jabeur is the first Arab woman and first African woman to reach the final of a Grand Slam. This was long time coming. She beats Tatjana Maria 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 and will face the winner of next match between Halep and Rybakina

Jabeur 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 Maria (* denotes server)

Maria gets on the board finally and now Ons is serving for the match. Two consecutive volley winners bring Jabeur to 30-0. She forces an error to bring up three match points. One goes begging after Maria runs around the court and forces a forehand mistake. On second match point, Maria hits the net

Jabeur 6-2, 3-6, 5-0 *Maria (* denotes server)

Jabeur with a backhand slice drop shot and it was at good enough height for Tatjana Maria but she sends it wide. That pretty much sums up how the third set has gone for the German player

Jabeur* 6-2, 3-6, 4-0 Maria (* denotes server)

At 30-40, facing break point, Maria plays a sensational point to bring the game to deuce. Slices from the backhand and the forehand from the 34-year-old Maria before playing a great lob that ekes out an error from Jabeur. But Jabeur is not going away. Runs forward to a drop shot, Maria with a half volley return but it sits up perfectly for Jabeur to smash away. Maria with a forehand winner and then Jabeur with a backhand winner on the serve return to keep the game alive. Now, Jabeur with an aggressive slice that forces Maria into a wild forehand. Another break point and this one is converted! BREAK! Maria with a smash or even volley sitting up at the net but she mishits and the ball goes long. Almost took Jabeur out in the process!

Jabeur 6-2, 3-6, 3-0 *Maria (* denotes server)

Make that a 3-0 lead! Jabeur is suddenly, and out of nowhere, running away with this match now. Maria gets a backhand winner down the line at 40-0 but that was the only blip in a rather comfortable game

Jabeur* 6-2, 3-6, 2-0 Maria (* denotes server)

BREAK! Ons Jabeur gets the early break in the third set and she would be pleased given how things were going. A forehand winner gets Jabeur the break and she races off to 2-0 lead

Second set in numbers

Second set: Tatjana Maria 6-3

For the fourth time this Championship, Tatjana Maria has forced a decider after losing the first set. She makes the only break advantage count as Ons Jabeur’s level drops with some absurd shot choices

Jabeur* 6-2, 3-6 Maria (* denotes server)

Consecutive misses from the Jabeur backhand and it is 30-0. Now a backhand into the net from Ons and Maria has three set points. Jabeur saves with a forehand pinging the baseline. On the second, she plays a tame backhand drop shot into the net. Didn’t get the contact right at all. Second set to Tatjana Maria

Jabeur 6-2, 3-5 *Maria (* denotes server)

Yet another demonstration of superb hands and racket head control in the game. Jabeur gets across, slides and completes a backhand winner cross court to hold serve. Maria had a set point opportunity in that game

Jabeur* 6-2, 2-5 Maria (* denotes server)

Jabeur unable to put away a volley and then an overheard before erring on a forehand and that puts Maria a game away from equalising the match at one set all

Jabeur* 6-2, 1-4 Maria (* denotes server)

This match has had multiple unconventional shots and some ‘odd’ points but none more than one now on deuce. Both players with some crafty slices on both sides before Ons plays a forehand winner cross court from behind her back with Maria looking on at the net. Maria does get through in the end to consolidate the break