Powerful Sabalenka overcomes Jabeur in straight sets to set up semi-final with Pliskova

By Paul Lagan at Centre Court at ARLTC

Ons Jabeur v Aryna Sabalenka

6-4, 6-3

Aryna Sabalenka defeated the darling of Wimbledon Ons Jabeur in straight sets, to reach the semi-final against Karolina Pliskova.

The Belorussian was all power that befitted her 6ft tall frame, and if she was to get anything from the match she had to overpower her opponent, who seeded 21, was the ideal grass-courter – power, speed and a hint of dexterity.

It was a tough opening game for second seed Aryna Sabalenka, but some tough deep first serves allowed her to take the game.

The 25-year-old from Belarus had never got beyond the second round at SW19 and was facing the tough Tunisian Jabeur who easily won her opener with some finely placed cross-court shots.

Games went with serve with both powerful, right-handers demonstrating their first-serve prowess.

A delightful drop shot to make it 15 all in the seventh game by Jabeur showed her dexterity, but the strength of the Belorussian was simply too overwhelming for Jabeur and she finished off her game with an ace to make it 3-4.

Neither player’s service games looked in doubt and in the 10th game at 4-5 and 40-15 ahead, Jabeur looked in control. She then lost two points in a row, then faced set point against her powerful opponent.

Twice she was a point away from losing the game and set, and drama ensured when Sabalenka thought her drop-shot was a winner, but it was called out. This respite gave the Tunisian the impetus to take advantage for the second time, but a wayward long drive was then out.

Deuce turned again to advantage to Jabeur but, again she overhit a straightforward backhand drive.

Sabalenka then had her third set point, which was  won by Jabeur, or in fact an unforced error by Sabalenka.

A wayward drip-shot by Jabeur gave the Belorussian her fourth set point and after a powerful forehand drive to the corner, Jabeur could only push the ball into the net, to lose the game and the set 4-6.

Jabeur had a great chance to instantly break Sabalenka  in the opening game of the second set – she was love 40 up. But she couldn’t force the necessary extra point and the server inched the game.

The sheer power of Sabalenka ground strokes, either forehand or backhand were just too much for Jabeur as she went 15-40 down on serve. She then slipped and drove a ball intended for down the line into the net to give Sabalenka a 2-0 advantage.

But subtlety over power can have it’s moment in the sun, or under the closed roof, and Jabeur produced enough moments to break the service of the Belorussian to put the set back to serve.

But in the eight game and 3-4 down, Jabeur faced a potential fatal break point.

However she recovered to deuce, only to give away another point with a poor drop-shot.

This advantage was gleefully snapped up by Sabalenka and she took the point and the game.

At 5-3 up and on her own serve, Sabalenka was 30-love up, but a slip levelled to 30-all before a wonderful forehand down the line gave Jabeur break point. But she missed her chance, crashing  the ball into the net.

Then sending the ball wide gave Sabalenka match point.

On her second serve she drove the ball onto the line, and when she received it back, she sent a wonderful backhand down the line to win the match.