Krejcikova rides Rybakina punches to reach final against Paolini

Barbora Krejcikova produced a superb comeback to reach her first Wimbledon final, showing stubborn resilience in the face of a relentless attacking barrage from former champion Elena Rybakina to triumph 3-6 6-3 6-4 on Thursday.

Kazakhstan’s Rybakina had threatened to run away with the contest in the first set, racing to a 5-1 lead with her brand of full-throttle high intensity tennis.

Yet after losing the opener, the 2021 French Open champion dug in and eventually fathomed the puzzle on the other side of the net, breaking in the sixth game of the second set before levelling the contest.

With the momentum having shifted in her favour, the Czech took control in the decider, breaking in the seventh game when Rybakina netted an attempted dropshot.

She brought up three match points with a smash at the net before kicking off the celebrations when Rybakina sent a backhand return long.

Krejcikova will take on seventh seed Jasmine Paolini in the final after she overcame Donna Vekic in a marathon encounter earlier on Centre Court.

Seventh seed Paolini became the first Italian woman to reach the Wimbledon final after defeating Croatian Donna Vekic 2-6 6-4 7-6(8) in the longest women’s semi-final at the All England Club.

Fans were treated to a roller-coaster encounter as both players exhausted themselves seeking a spot in the final.

The Croatian, 28, took the opening set comfortably having broken Paolini in the fifth game and then again in the seventh with her mixture of groundstrokes and dropshots.

However, Paolini, became more aggressive in the second as she approached the net more and put Vekic on the backfoot. Her diligence and energy eventually paid off with a break to clinch the set.

The pair exchanged breaks in the decider as both racked up the unforced errors, particularly Vekic who looked fatigued and emotional as the match wore on.

But it was Paolini, 28, who prevailed and won the two hour, 51 minute match to reach her second successive Grand Slam final after the French Open last month.