Wimbledon 2019 Highlights, Jo Konta vs Barbora Strycova, Women's Quarters: Strycova to face Serena; Svitolina up against Halep

Women’s singles semi-final is all set!

(11) Serena Williams vs Barbora Strycova

(8) Elina Svitolina vs (7) Simona Halep

Barbora Strycova beats Johanna Konta 7-6 (5), 6-1 to reach her first Grand Slam semi-final!

A frustrating performance from Jo Konta. With the crowd on her side and up against a player who has only one Grand Slam quarter-final appearance to her name before today, the top-ranked Briton wastes a very good chance to reach the semi-final. For Strycova, who had earlier said that this would be her last year on the Tour, this has been one heck of a performance. TO come back from 4-1 down in the first set and then win it on a tiebreaker was phenomenal. Her reward for ending Britain’s singles hope is a date against 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams on Thursday! Bring it on!

Barbora Strycova speaks after her win: 

It seems crazy. It’s happening, but I can’t really believe it. My voice is shaking right now, I can’t believe it. 

I felt like I was playing well, but she was striking the ball very quick and hard. I tried to mix it up a little, and I got better and better.

This was one of the best matches I’ve played here. I haven’t played on centre court, so I really liked it.

It’s a great week to play Serena, it’s a match I can’t wait to play.

Barbora Strycova beats Johanna Konta 7-6 (5), 6-1 to reach her first Grand Slam semi-final!

The hopes of the Partisan crowd is raised as Konta wins the two first points off the Strycova serve. But even they have to applaud the Czech after she wins the next two points. Konta’s slice is horrible and it flies long which brings up match point for Strycova. And she is through to her first Grand Slam semi-final after Konta hits another shot long! Barbora Strycova is through to her fist Grand Slam semi-final!

Strycova vs Konta 7-6 (5), 5-1*

Konta wins the first point by hitting a backhand winner which Strycova challengers. The review shows that the ball landed right on the line. The Brit brings up triple break point with an ace but squanders two by over-cooking her forehands. Strycova gets to deuce by forcing Konta to stretch her backhand which sets up an easy smash winner for the Czech. Konta gets gamepoint and looks to seal the hold with a soft drop shot. However, Strycova sprints and plays a brilliant forehand winner. Konta gives a break point with an errant forehand but saves with a stunning volleyed drop shot. Strycova slips and stumbles to her knees. Konta commits a double fault and the mildly frustrated Centre Court crowd tries to cheer her up. However, Konta gets broken after hitting her volley wide. A frustrating day for Konta. Strycova will now serve for the match.

Strycova vs Konta 7-6 (5), 4-1*

Pheonmenal from Strycova to play a cleverly disguised two-handed drop shot which sets up a lobbed winner for the 33-year-old. Konta overhits another forehand from a good position to go down 30-0. Strycova slips and falls allowing Konta to hit an easy volleyed winner. At 40-15, Strycova commits a double fault but hangs on to get the hold.

Strycova vs Konta 7-6 (5), *3-1

At 15-0, a fortunate net caught helps Strycova hit a clean passing forehand winner. Konta responds by smashing a couple of forehand winners to move to 40-15. She seals the hold with only her second ace of the match.

Strycova vs Konta 7-6 (5), 3-0*

Superb net play from Strycova at 15-0 to display her reflexes and get a volleyed winner. She motors on to get an easy hold to 15.

Strycova vs Konta 7-6 (5), *2-0

Konta gets off to a bad start and goes down 0-30. Strycova brings up triple break point with a stunning forehand winner. Konta saves one with a powerful backhand winner down the line but follows it up by shanking her backhand just wide with an empty court in front of her. Strycova off to a very good start in the second set.

Elina Svitolina creates history!

Strycova vs Konta 7-6 (5), 1-0*

Strycova goes down 0-30 but claws her way back with some good serving and brings up game point with a crisp forehand winner. She goes 1-0 up with another forehand winner down the line.

Barbora Strycova wins the first 7-6 (5) against Johanna Konta!

Konta gets off to a bad start by being broken on the first point. She breaks Strycova’s serve for 1-2 but finds the net off her volley to go down 1-3. But she breaks the Strycova serve and then holds her serve to go 5-4 up courtesy of a couple of excellent backhand winners. Strycova delicately plays a stunning drop volley and gets a set point after Konta hits her backhand long. Strycova caps off a brilliant comeback from 1-4 down to grab the first set 7-6 (5) after a tiebreaker.

Elina Svitolina speaks after her win:

Yeah, it feels amazing. It’s my first semi-final and I didn’t expect it would happen here. It’s exciting and I’m looking forward to it already!

She’s a very tricky player and grass suits her. I had to fight for every point, and the key was just to put one extra ball over the net. I had to fight for every point and was trying to find opportunities.

It’s a great opportunity for me to play another match here on Thursday, and play against Simona Halep, hopefully on centre court.

Elina Svitolina beat Karolina Muchova 7-5, 6-4 to reach the semi-final!

After an hour and 34 minutes, Elina Svitolina finally beats Karolina Muchova 7-5, 6-4 to reach her first Grand Slam semi-final! This was one heck of a match from both players but you’d think that Muchova would’ve nicked the win had she not been coming into the match on the back off a marathon game against Pliskova in the fourth round. Up next for Svitolina is Simona Halep on Thursday!

Strycova vs Konta *6-6

Konta shanks her forehand wide to lose the first point. Strycova brings up double game point with a volley and a service winner before forcing Konta to hit long and seal the hold. We’ll need a tie-breaker to separate the duo in the first set.

Svitolina vs Muchova 7-5, *5-4

Muchova wins the first point with a clean forehand winner. Svitolina wins the second with a good volley from the net. Muchova moves 40-15 but nets her backhand to lose the next point and gets to deuce with a backhand hit on the wrong side of the tram line. She brings up another game point by cleverly setting up a backhans volleyed winner at the net and seals the hold with a delightful volleyed winner. Svitolina can still serve out the match.

Strycova vs Konta *5-6

Konta smashes in a couple of clean winners off her forehand and backhand to get a hold to 15.

Strycova vs Konta 5-5*

Strycova begins her service game with the old serve and volley routine which pays dividends and goes 30-0 up with a crisp backhand winner. She goes on to get an easy hold to love

Svitolina vs Muchova 7-5, 5-3*

At 15-15, Svitloina misses two overhead smashes and then ends up losing the point by hitting her backhand long. On the next point, Muchova, with an empty court to hit, hits her forehand long. She hits a clutch backhand winner down the line to bring up a break point. Svitolina slices the ball wide off the net to give Muchova the break!

Strycova vs Konta *4-5

After getting off to a quick start, Konta has started to struggle now. Errors have crept into her game and Strycova is taking full advantage of it as she brings up a break point. Konta saves it and manages to get the hold

Svitolina vs Muchova 7-5, *5-2

Svitloina is running away with the match now as she breaks Muchova to 15 to get within a game of reaching the semi-finals.

Svitolina vs Muchova 7-5, 4-2*

Svitolina has found her rhythm now as she consolidates her break with a relatively easy hold. Muchova is feeling the effects of her marathon match against Pliskova yesterday.

Strycova vs Konta 4-4*

Strycova begins the fourth game with an ace but goes down 15-30 with a double fault. At 30-30, Konta misses her forehand passing shot and Strycova gets the hold after Konta nets her return.

Svitolina vs Muchova 7-5, *3-2

Muchova crumbling under pressure here. She goes down 15-40 with a drop shot to the net. Svitolina fails to break at the first time of asking by playing her drop shot to the net but Muchova helps her by netting her backhand.

Svitolina vs Muchova 7-5, 2-2*

Muchova squanders two break points allowing Svitolina to escape with a tough hold and get the match back on serve.

Strycova vs Konta *3-4

An error-strewn game from Konta as she hits a couple of forehand wides to give Strycova a break point. And she gets broken for only the fourth time in the tournament by hitting her backhand long.

Strycova vs Konta 2-4*

Strycova sends in an excellent serve at 15-15 to win the point but Konta wins the next point with a powerful forehand winner. Strycova brings up game point with a searing ace down the T and follows it up with an excellent volleyed winner to grab the hold.

Svitolina vs Muchova 7-5, *1-2

Well, how about that! Out of nowhere, Svitolina breaks Muchova to love to get on the scoreboard in the second set!

Strycova vs Konta *1-4

At 30-0, Konta mishits an easy forehand winner to lose the point but then plays a well-disguised drop shot to move to 40-15. She gets the hold with a crisp forehand winner and she’s looking in good touch today!

Svitolina vs Muchova 7-5, 0-2*

A very good start from Muchova to the second set as she breaks Svitolina to go 2-0 up!

Svitolina vs Muchova 7-5, *0-1

Muchova begins the second set with a hold to 15.

Strycova vs Konta 1-3*

Three forehand errors on the trot from Konta sees Strycova race to a 40-0 lead and she seals the hold to love in quick time.

Strycova vs Konta *0-3

Konta races to a 40-0 lead before losing a couple of points. She ultimately holds to get a 3-0 lead over her opponent.

Elina Svitolina wins the first set 7-5 against Karolina Muchova!

The match is being played at an intense rate with a lot of slipping and sliding both at the baseline and at the net. Svitolina brings up two set points with a crisp forehand winner and grabs the first set with a volleyed winner. A stunning comeback from the Ukranian after being 1-4 and 2-5 down.

Strycova vs Konta 0-2*

Konta breaks Strycova’s serve to go 2-0 up. That was a long game but Konta ultimately came out on top much to the delight of the Centre Court crowd.

Svitolina vs Muchova *6-5

Good anticipation and execution of a sliced drop shot from Svitolina which sets up an easy putaway for 15-15. Svitolina powers in a forehand winner for 30-30. Muchova brings up game point with a crisp forehand winner down the line but follows it up with a double fault. Muchova nets her forehand to bring up break point for Svitolina. She saves it with a stunning forehand right at the corner. Muchova doesn’t hit her volley with power allowing Svitolina to smash in a running backhand winner and bring up another break point. Muchova with terrific court coverage on the next rally to save the break point. She tries to lob Svitolina on the next rally but ends up giving the Ukranian an easy backhand volleyed winner. Muchova saves the break point with another volleyed winner only to concede another break point. She saves a forehand break point by winning the longest rally of the match with a forehand smash winner at the net. She brings up game point with one heck of a volley at the net. And she throws away the opportunity to seal the hold by netting an easy backhand. She slips in her follows through on the next serve but still manages to return only to see Svitolina bring up another break point. Svitolina finally gets the break to end a marathon 11th game

Stycova vs Konta *0-1

Konta begins with a tough hold.

Strycova vs Konta 0-0*

Ready? Play! Jo Konta will get us underway.

Svitolina vs Muchova 5-5*

Muchova is starting to slip and stumble as she goes down 40-0 trying to play a drop shot which ends up on the net. But wait! Is that a comeback? She wins her first point with a powerful forehand winner and then gets to 40-30. Alas, the comeback ends after she nets her forehand. An excellent fightback from Svitolina!