Wimbledon 2024 LIVE: Tennis results and updates as emotional Barbora Krejcikova sets up final with Jasmine Paolini

“I thought I was going to die in the third set. My arm and leg were in so much pain. It wasn’t easy on the court, but I’ll recover.

“My team tells me I can be proud of myself. It’s tough right now. It’s really tough. I’m definitely going to have to take a few days to see everything.

“Yeah, I don’t know, it’s hard to be positive right now. It was so close. I had a lot of chances.”

“I feel incredibly good. Today was a very, very difficult match. A very emotional match. Yes, I feel really good, yes.

“I’ve never played against Barbora, but she’s a Grand Slam champion. She plays incredible tennis. I sometimes train with her.

“It’s going to be a Wimbledon final, so it’s going to be a different kind of match, I think. Like I said, it’s always the same things, the goal: try to serve well today, I didn’t do that, I have to say try to return as many balls as possible, and control the point.

“On grass, it’s difficult to defend. So the objective on Saturday will certainly be that in terms of play, tactics.”

As 57^th and a final unforced error on Donna Vekic’s forehand and in the right lane, Jasmine Paolini rushed to her players’ box in total euphoria. This year’s revelation on the tennis circuit – that goes for both men and women – had reached her second Grand Slam final in a matter of weeks. At the end of this titanic battle, she blew a kiss to her corner opponent and then consoled her heartbroken opponent.

As the old adage goes, it was cruel to think that someone had to lose. Vekic and Paolini were both playing in their first Wimbledon semi-finals and their desperation to make Saturday’s final was evident throughout this thrilling battle of wills. In the end, only a tiebreak in the first set and the final tenth set could separate them – and even then, there was almost no draw between them. The match of the tournament? Maybe.

While Paolini needed two hours and 51 minutes to fight back, reduce Vekic to tears and position herself on the verge of glory, Rybakina seemed to need around 60 minutes to extinguish Barbora Krejcikova’s dream.

But these were just guesses, and as the match progressed it became clear that guessing was a dangerous game.

Centre Court Report:

Krejcikova on what to expect from her final against Jasmine Paolini on Saturday: “I think it’s going to be a great fight, no doubt. A great fight.

“I know she’s a great fighter, she showed it today, and so do I.

“I think we both play great tennis and I think it will be a great match on Saturday.”

Krejcikova gets emotional when talking about her late coach Jana Novotna, who won the singles crown here in 1998.

Krejcikova: “It’s incredible. It’s very difficult to explain what I feel right now, but it’s a lot of joy, a lot of emotions, also a lot of relief. I’m also super proud, so proud of my game and my fighting spirit today.

“I don’t know what the difference was. I was down, I mean, I started 0-4. I was happy to win my first match, then I was just trying to fight for every ball.

“I felt like in the second set, somewhere in the middle, I was starting to get my momentum. When I broke her, I started to get into a zone, and I didn’t want to get out of it!

“Never (I dreamed of that).”

Rybakina has a relatively comfortable hold and now Krejcikova will serve for the match. Is there a final twist in this match?

Krejcikova comes back to 30-0, two points from victory…

Make it 40-0, three match points!

And Rybakina’s return of serve is out!

Krejcikova with a comeback win, she’s in the Wimbledon final!

0-30, and Rubakina has a glimpse of an instant counterattack.

Ace! Krejcikova reduces the gap!

And the gap disappears completely, as Krejcikova rises to 30-30.

She now wins a game point with a huge serve and a forehand winner in the corner!

And she held on! It was an eventful match.

Krejcikova gets a crucial break! Trailing by a set, she now leads in this last set and will serve to put herself one game away from the final!