LONDON:
Garbine Muguruza became the first Spanish woman in 19 years to reach the Wimbledon final on Thursday with a rollercoaster 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 win over Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska.
Aranxta Sanchez-Vicario was the last Spanish woman to make the final at the All England Club while Conchita Martinez was the last champion in 1994.
Muguruza had to endure some nervy moments before she secured her maiden Grand Slam final spot, seeing a 3-1 lead in the second disappear against the three-time semi-finalist.
Muguruza, who has only one tour title to her name, then took victory with a power-packed flowing forehand, her 39th winner of the contest.
“I have worked all my life for this, I have no words,” said 20th seed Muguruza who will climb into the top 10 for the first time next week as a result of her performance at Wimbledon. “It was a tough match. Agnieszka has so much experience, but I just wanted to keep fighting.”
The 21-year-old, contesting her first Grand Slam semi-final after back-to-back runs to the French Open quarter-finals in 2014 and 2015, had enjoyed an impressive tournament.
She had knocked out fifth seed Caroline Wozniacki and 10th-seeded Angelique Kerber to make the last four.
Radwanska, the 2012 runner-up, hadn’t faced a player inside the top 20.
Sentimental favourite Roger Federer faces home star Andy Murray for the 24th time on Friday hoping his near perfect Grand Slam grip on the Scot will steer him into a 10th Wimbledon final.
Such is the anticipation that Friday’s other semi-final between defending champion Novak Djokovic and Richard Gasquet is in danger of becoming a warm-up act.
Second seed Federer, the seven-time champion, boasts a narrow 12-11 lead in his decade-long rivalry with Murray.
But he is 4-1 to the good at the Grand Slams, including a four-set win in the 2012 Wimbledon final which delivered his 17th and most recent major title.
Murray, who became Britain’s first men’s Grand Slam title winner since Fred Perry in 1936 when he lifted the Wimbledon title in 2013, is in his sixth All England Club semi-final and 17th at the majors.
Three years on from 2012, when Federer won a seventh Wimbledon and Murray proved he could win big titles by defeating the Swiss in the Olympic final, both men agree that that summer was a crucial point.
“There was a lot on the line with Andy,” said Federer. “I think he was going for his first Wimbledon in ‘12. So obviously it was always going to be tough,” said Federer. “Then the Olympics was just a different vibe altogether. I was a bit weathered but Andy played as good a final as you can play.”
Federer has won their last three meetings, including a 6-1, 6-0 rout at the World Tour Finals in their most recent clash at the end of 2014.
“It was obviously embarrassing,” said Murray. “But in individual sports, it’s all about who performs on that day.”
