Wimbledon 2019: Simona Halep and Elina Svitolina to meet in semi-finals

Wimbledon 2019 on the BBC
Venue: All England Club Dates: 1-14 July
Coverage: Live across BBC TV, radio and online with extensive coverage on BBC iPlayer, Red Button, Connected TVs and mobile app. Full details

Seventh seed Simona Halep is through to the semi-finals at Wimbledon for the first time since 2014 after a 7-6 (7-4) 6-1 victory over China's Zhang Shuai.

Halep, 27, the highest seed left in the womens' singles, had to fight back from 4-1 down to take a thrilling first set.

The Romanian former world number one then raced away with the second to triumph in 86 minutes.

Halep will play eighth-seeded Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, a 7-5 6-4 winner over Karolina Muchova, in the last four.

Like Halep, Svitolina was initially on the defensive, losing her first two service games as she slipped 5-2 adrift in the opening set.

However, she converted her fifth break point in a marathon 11th game to move 6-5 ahead before serving out.

Muchova, ranked 60 places below her opponent, made early inroads in the second set, but could not maintain her level and Svitolina, watched by partner and men's world number 15 Gael Monfils, sealed her win with powerful serve out wide.

It is the first time that Svitolina, 24, has been beyond the last 16 in six previous campaigns at the All England Club. Her match against Halep will be her first Grand Slam semi-final after four last-eight defeats.

"It feels amazing. It is the first semi-final for me, and I actually didn't expect it to happen here. It is exciting and I am looking forward to it already," she said.

Zhang has also confounded low expectations with her run. The world number 50 had never won a match at Wimbledon in five previous visits but had four break-points to take a 5-1 first-set lead before Halep dug in and recovered control.

Halep - who beat 15-year-old Coco Gauff on Monday - took control early in the second set, breaking twice in quick succession as Zhang's game collapsed.

"I fought hard in the first set, even though I was down 4-1," Halep told the BBC. "I knew she was going to hit with a lot of power, but I knew today I had to be as strong as possible.

"I have energy. I feel fresh. I feel confident when I step on the court. I play my best tennis on grass courts."

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57 comments

Simona is the one to beat. Not making as many mistakes as the others and getting the job done in 2 sets rather than a more tiring 3 sets.
Serena petulant and childlike as always... no class, shame
Halep a real scrapper. Well done
Anyone but Serena
@15
Really???
Whilst I do enjoy strawberries it has nothing to do with Halep or tennis. Shouldn’t you be in school?
25 don't agree with that; she was mentally fragile a couple of years ago but she has turned it around and is now one of the strongest competitors. She was year end number one for the last two seasons, 10th in the all time list of weeks at number one and has only recently dropped out the top 5 for the first time in the last 5 years.
Mentally tough and very consistent particularly in this era!
Halep blows hot and cold but ultimately her class told. When she gets going she is a tough proposition.
It's a shame the Williams horror show continues. Riske payed a cute game but didn't make the most of the fact that her opponent stubbornly couldn't be bothered to more than amble about the court exuding all the poise of a beached whale. In the end Riske blinked first.
Haide Simona!!!!

What an amazing first set!

Congratulations to Zhang too, you could not have played any better for most of the first hour pushing Halep to the limit, one of the best sets of tennis this year! You should be very proud of your efforts.

Two more matches Simona keep believing and fighting as you always do, I can't wait for the semi final whoever it is!
Why do the BBC assume that we need inane music and childish graphics to help us appreciate what we are watching?
Well done Halep after a shaky first set. Zhang looked very dangerous in the first set but then ran out of steam with unforced errors and mishits. Halep has Svitolina next so its seed 7 v 8. Svitolina has proven her worth and come through some tough matches. Today she really did have the shot locker and mental resolve to beat Muchova.
26 Serena only cares about winning no matter what this often leads to vulgar displays of bullying and intimidation on court.
Simona is inspirational because she believes in playing as well as you possibly can and pushing yourself, it is okay to lose if you have left nothing out there.
Her 2018 Aussie Open defeat was more inspiring to me than Serena's 23 grand slams. But that is my personal view
very high quality match. halep a true fighter, coming back from 1-4 was just remarkable. well done.
Kontas mental side of game will hold her back forever ... pressure too much
has to be Halep
That's the winner for me, too strong for Serena in the final, 3 years ago I would have said SW, not now though. Well played Halep.
Thumbs up if you love strawberries!
40 Get out of here will be a cracker. Don't get lulled into the BBC/Wimbledon bias against these East European players who came through with no backing.
28 she did not need to hit the ball as hard against Gauff and she hits it a lot harder than she did two years ago.
Opponents have every right to complain to a referee/umpire if they feel their opponent is deliberately hindering them but no one does this with Simona because she is a popular and respected player. Her legal team would eat you alive for calling her a cheat!
anybody wanna buy cheap tennis racquets?? serious, no strings attached...
Earlier headline said, 'konta seeks place at semi final'.
Sounds like she's hanging around the back of centre court looking for a ticket.
🤣