Ons Jabeur blows Wimbledon away during 'insane' Aryna Sabalenka drama

Ons Jabeur proved once again that she is the queen of the comeback at Wimbledon - and very much a fan favourite - after a stirring semi-final victory over World No.2 Aryna Sabalenka. The Tunisian was forced to come from a set and 4-2 down in the gripping victory that sees her set up a Wimbledon final against surprise packet Marketa Vondrousova, who brushed aside Elina Svitolina in the other semi-final.

A loser in last year's final against Elena Rybakina - who she also downed in a gripping quarter-final comeback win - Jabeur played the match of her life to roar back against Sabalenka, with the crowd firmly in her corner. Jabeur will now be looking to go one better than last year as she bids to become the first women's grand slam singles champion from Africa.

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The charismatic Tunisian has captured the hearts of fans and around the world and the noise at Centre Court when she came from the brink to level the match in the second set was deafening. From there, the result was somewhat inevitable as the 28-year-old - armed with a new and improved 'never-say-die' mentality - completed the job to seal her spot in a second successive Wimbledon final.

"I'm working on myself like crazy," she said. "You have no idea what I'm doing. Every time there is something, I'm very tough with myself, trying to improve everything. Very impatient sometimes, which is not good.

"I know if you are not ready physically, mentally you can always win. That's probably what happened in the last two matches."

Tennis world hails 'inspirational' Ons Jabeur

Jabeur has had a tough run to the decider, beating two-time former champion Petra Kvitova in the last 16 and third seed Rybakina in the quarter-final. By doing so she became the first woman to defeat three top-10 players at Wimbledon since Serena Williams in 2012. Her latest triumph sent fans wild on social media, with many labelling it an "inspirational" performance.

Marketa Vondrousova ends Elina Svitolina fairytale

Having ruthlessly dismantled Ukrainian sporting hero Svitolina's dream with a 6-3 6-3 victory in the day's other semi-final, Czech left-hander Vondrousova is in line to become Wimbledon's first-ever unseeded women's champion.

The the World No.42 - who lost the 2019 French Open final to Ash Barty in her only previous grand slam final appearance - showed no mercy to the player she had hailed beforehand as a "superwoman". Svitolina had entranced this year's Wimbledon with the tale of a new mother making a tennis comeback while also being an inspiring figure for her war-torn country.

But after knocking out World No.1 Iga Swiatek in the quarter-finals, the fourth grand slam winner she had beaten, Svitolina could find no more miracles. Looking weighed down she was dominated by Vondrousova.

Svitolina never gave up, pulling back to 4-3 from four down in the second stanza, but Vondrousova regrouped to seal the win in 75 minutes.

"It's crazy that this is happening," sighed Vondrousova, while a disappointed Svitolina, who'd been watched by Vadym Prystaiko, Ukrainian ambassador to the UK, in the Royal Box, was tearful as she said she hoped her efforts would help Ukrainians fight for their dreams.

with agencies

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