LONDON: Ons Jabeur avenged her painful defeat in last year’s Wimbledon final on Wednesday to set up a last-four clash against Aryna Sabalenka as Carlos Alcaraz eyed the semis for the first time. In a repeat of the 2022 title match, Tunisian sixth seed Jabeur came from behind to beat defending champion Elena Rybakina 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-1 in their quarter-final on Centre Court. Both players broke twice in the first set before the Kazakh third seed took the tie-break. The second set went with serve until the 10th game, when Rybakina cracked and Jabeur levelled the match.

The force was with Jabeur in the decider as she opened up a 3-0 lead and saved two break points to move 4-1 ahead. Jabeur powered a backhand down the line to break once again and held her serve to seal the win, letting out a roar of delight. “I’m very happy with the performance - a lot of emotion out there, especially playing someone that serves really well,” she said. “It’s frustrating to return but I’m glad I did everything, shouted, got angry, then got calm and focused and hopefully I can manage my emotions like this for the next two matches.”

Sabalenka powered into a second Wimbledon semi-final with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Madison Keys of the United States. A double break secured the first set and Sabalenka, who was defeated by Karolina Pliskova in the last four in 2021, dug herself out of a deep hole at 4-2, 40-0 down in the second set. The world number two from Belarus was banned from the 2022 tournament following the invasion of Ukraine along with all Russian and Belarusian players. Belarus is a key ally of Moscow. “It was an amazing battle and I’m so happy to be back in the semi-final. I just hope to do better than last time,” said Sabalenka.

“When I was a little girl I dreamed of winning Wimbledon,” she added. “It’s something special here.” Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic reached a 12th Wimbledon semi-final and record-equaling 46th at the Grand Slams on Tuesday as Elina Svitolina stunned world number one Iga Swiatek, delivering an emotional boost for her war-torn Ukraine homeland. Djokovic, chasing an eighth title at the All England Club and 24th career major, defeated Andrey Rublev 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 and will face Italy’s Jannik Sinner for a place in the final.

The Serb has now reached as many semi-finals at the Slams as the retired Roger Federer. The 36-year-old, playing in his 400th Grand Slam match, insisted he was enjoying being the man to beat. “I love it. Any player wants to be in the position where all the other players want to beat you,” he said after preserving his record of not losing on Centre Court since 2013. “The pressure never goes away every time I come on court. “They want to get a scalp and the win - but it ain’t happening!” After dropping the first set, a fired-up Djokovic only allowed Rublev six points in the first five games of the second set.

The champion then needed five set points to claim the third while saving three break points in the same game. Rublev’s spirit drained away and Djokovic claimed victory with his 42nd winner of the tie. The Russian world number seven has now lost all eight quarter-finals he has played at the majors. “I had these little chances but I didn’t make them. He made them. That’s why he’s Novak, one of the greatest players in history,” he said. - AFP