Wimbledon 2021: Ashleigh Barty and Angelique Kerber ease into high profile semi-final showdown

World No 1 Ashleigh Barty set up a mouthwatering Wimbledon semi-final with former champion Angelique Kerber after dominant quarter-final victories at a sodden All England Club on Tuesday.

With a full house in attendance on Centre Court and Court No1, the roofs on both arenas were closed as, for the first time in the Open-era, six of the remaining eight players were at the quarter-final stage for the first time.

While Karolina Pliskova and Aryna Sabalenka did their bit for the maiden major hopefuls, in the top half of the draw, two champions are left standing.

Three-time Grand Slam champion and 2018 Wimbledon winner Kerber was first into the last four, powering her way past 19th seed Karolina Muchova for the loss of just five games before Barty dropped just four in a one-sided victory over fellow Australian Ajla Tomljanovic.

The pair will meet on Thursday for a place in Saturday’s showpiece against either Pliskova or Sabalenka who will contest the semi-final from the bottom half of the draw.

“This is a dream come true, genuinely it is. I know you hear that a lot as athletes and tennis players but this is my dream and I’m extremely grateful I’ve got the opportunity to come out here and have fun and I’m enjoying every minute and this afternoon was no different,”

Ashleigh Barty, Top seed

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Wimbledon 2021: Women’s Semi-Finals

Brilliant Barty keeps Wimbledon dream alive

To many observers Barty’s game is ideally suited to grass, but the 25-year-old top seed has taken her time to make her mark on the surface – much as she has in the women’s game.

Having been on the Tour since 2012, it was not until 2019 that Barty began to flourish, reaching the quarter-final of the Australian Open before going on to win the French Open.

She followed that up with a fourth-round run at Wimbledon – her best performance until this year in southwest London – but on three separate occasions she missed out at the qualifying tournament in Roehampton.

If her career is a lesson in patience, Tuesday’s quarter-final on Centre Court was the opposite as she dismantled her Australian Fed Cup team-mate in just 66 minutes.

Barty raced into a 4-1 lead with a double break before Tomljanovic conjured a chance to win one back, but three successive points saw off that threat before a third break of her opponent’s serve gave Barty the first set in just 24 minutes.

Tomljanovic was faced with the task of putting Monday’s late night victory over Emma Raducanu after the Britain’s withdrawal behind her and while Raducanu released a statement on Tuesday confirming she was well, world No 75 Tomljanovic was dealing with the considerable threat posed by Barty

Despite her dominance, the world No 1 was struggling to get her first serve in place and Tomljanovic took her chance in the opening game of the second set, but Barty hit straight back and always had the edge despite a more competitive contest.

Watched by her boyfriend Matteo Berrettini – who faces Felix Auger-Aliassime in Wednesday’s men’s quarter-final – Tomljanovic refused to buckle but every time she pushed the door ajar, Barty slammed another foot in the way.

There was time for one last twist as leading 4-2 and serving to move within a game of the last four, Barty was broken for one last time before fittingly reeling off the last couple of games to seal her high-profile meeting with Kerber.

“It’s the ultimate test, Angie (Kerber) has obviously had success here before and had the best fortnight here possible and I love that matchup. I love playing Angie,” she said in her on-court interview.

“She is an incredible competitor, she knows her way around this court and I hope I can play well and give myself a chance and play a good match.”

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Second Wimbledon crown in sight for Kerber

Kerber’s status as the only former Wimbledon champion remaining in the draw is still in tact after a brutally efficient straight sets win over Muchova – who fell at the quarter-final stage for the second successive Championships.

Seeded 25th but with proven pedigree in the Grand Slams, Kerber has belied her ranking to power her way into the last four for a fourth time in nine Wimbledons.

The 33-year-old won the grass-court tournament in Bad Homburg on the eve of the Championships – her first tournament victory since she beat Serena Williams on Centre Court for her third Grand Slam title in 2018.

A solid performance from the German was enough to account for Muchova, whose unforced errors allowed Kerber to assume control early and then rally from a break behind in the second set.

With a 3-0 lead in the opener, Kerber cruised to the first set when a double fault and two unforced errors handed her a 6-2 lead. Having begun to cause Kerber problems, Muchova saw three break points come and go on her opponent’s opening service game before finally breaking through for a 2-1 lead.

However Kerber hit back immediately and then from 3-2 down reeled off four successive games for a return to the final four.

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