“Surprised” Serena leading intriguing semi-final draw

The first week of Wimbledon witnessed a host of shocks obliterate the draw as the Top 10 women’s seeds fell from contention.

That could have provided a fairly unique semi-finals line-up, but we are relishing final four which contains three Grand Slam champions and a German breaking new ground.

Continuing to find her groove, to rattle through the gears, seven-time champion Serena Williams leads the charge at The All England Club. 

The No.25 seed surrendered a set for the first time this Championships in a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 triumph over Camila Giorgi to advance into the semi-finals.

“It's weird. Sometimes I feel, Man, I'm in trouble. Sometimes I feel, I can fight. For whatever reason, today I was so calm. Even when I was down the first set, I thought, Well, she's playing great. I'm doing a lot of the right things. It is what it is,” declared Williams.

A positive persona

“Just to be clear, that was just today. I never felt it was out of my hands. It's weird. I can't describe it. I just felt calm. Hoping I can channel that all the time, but one day at a time.”

 The 36-year-old is portraying a positive persona on and off the court, embracing being back in the latter stages. However, Serena appears the only one surprised by her progress.

“I think everything right now is a little bit of a surprise. To be here, to be in the semi-finals. I mean, I always say I plan on it, I would like to be there, have these goals. But when it actually happens, it still is, like, wow, this is really happening,” reflected Williams, who is on a 19-match winning streak on the Wimbledon lawns.

“Hey, got to look at the positives, right?”

“We're starting from zero“

Williams will vie for a ticket into the final against Julia Goerges, having toppled the German 6-3, 6-4 last month at Roland-Garros.

“That doesn't matter. This is a whole new match, it's a new surface, it's everything. We're starting from zero.”

However, Serena did send out a daunting signal of intent for her rivals.

“I hate losing. I mean, that's no secret. But you got to lose. I feel like every time I lose, I get better. I think it's important for me to have the losses. Just the fewer the better for me,” said Williams with a smirk. “Stay tuned for the next episode, Serena Williams Centre Court.”

Remarkably, Goerges lost in the first round the past five years at Wimbledon, but has rebuilt her game and belief, has accepted the idiosyncrasies of grass court tennis, surging into a maiden Grand Slam semi-final. 

“I don't have many words today to describe the moment I'm going through right now. It's been obviously always a dream for every player, to be in a semis in Wimbledon,” suggested the 29-year-old, who will have to strike fearlessly to topple Williams.

Goerges is relishing the chance to take on a champion in the calibre of Williams and seems far from intimidated by the prospect.

“It's a great opportunity for me to meet her at that stage. It's an honour to share the court with her. But I will sort out some tactics with my team and we'll be ready.”

 The German could be joined in a title showdown with compatriot Angelique Kerber on Saturday afternoon.

Maybe a German final?

“To really share this feeling with her, with a nation, I think that's something which is pretty special,” added Goerges. “It sounds crazy to maybe have the chance to share a German final in Wimbledon.”

For Kerber, the two-time Major winner prevailed in a pulsating exhibition of shotmaking with Daria Kasatkina, converting on her seventh match point against the Russian prodigy.

“I think the whole match was really good. I think we both play on a really high level, starting from the first point. I think the last game shows how good we played both and how she was fighting until the end,” said Kerber, the highest ranked player left in the draw, determined to remain solely focused on herself.

“I think there are no favourites any more. I'm not looking left or right. I'm not looking about the others. I'm really taking care about my game, about my matches, about how I play on court.”

The No.11 seed faces another free-swinging, vibrant shotmaker in the form of 2017 Roland-Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko.

Ostapenko is fiercely determined

“I think it's a big challenge. I think the match starts from zero. The pressure is not always on my side. She won a Grand Slam, as well,” maintained Kerber ahead of their first meeting.

Ostapenko suffered a first hurdle exit to her title defence in Paris, but has thrived back on the grass.

“I don't feel any pressure. I'm just enjoying the moment.

"I'm just not afraid to miss. I'm just going for the shots,” stated the Latvian, who feels a duty to entertain with her explosive style.

Don’t be fooled, Ostapenko is fiercely determined to grasp her chance and hasn’t dropped a set en route to the semi-finals, but the 21-year-old is well aware of Kerber’s artillery.

“Of course, she's great player. It's going to be a battle, I have to be very confident, aggressive, and consistent.”