Wimbledon 2021: Pliskova into semis, Kerber and Barty to come, Medvedev out – live! | Sport

On Centre, Sabalenka and Jabeur should be with us shortly, while on No1 we’re waiting for Muchova and Kerber.

Pliskova notes that this is her first Wimbledon semi and she’s had to work really hard for it. The score, she says, looks comfortable but the match was tough and she feels she’s improving with every match. When not on court, she’s had time to hone her footwork and reckoned that her game is in shape even before Wimbledon started. She’s not going to stress about who she faces next, she’ll enjoy the moment and then get ready.

Golubic saves three match points but on the fourth, Pliskova’s forehand is too much for her and she moves into the semis – where she’ll face Jabeur or Sabalenka – having not lost a set. She was much, much too good today, but she’ll need to improve on today if she’s to keep it going.

…but Golubic does a great job of saving match point, thanks to a backhand onto the line backed up with a clever drop.

Back on No1, Pliskova has battled through a tough hold, including Golubic’s first break points of the match. But her serve is there to save her, and she’s now a game away. Pliskova 6-2 5-2 Golubic

Hurkacz is so happy and says it was a tough match against an unbelievable player – he’s meant to be an extremely sound individual – and worked with his coach and physio to prepare for today, trying to solve problems he’d encountered yesterday. Federer, who he meets tomorrow, is his hero, and he says it’s going to be fun and he hopes to get a little bit of support. But when asked about that match he’s coy, saying he needs to speak to his coach, and given what happened today, that sounds like a decent plan.

That’s an unbelievable win for Hurkacz who came out today and attacked everything. But Medvedev was really poor, subsiding weakly – on match point, he netted a volley – and he still awaits his first major title. Hurkacz, on the other hand, now meets Federer in his first major quarter-final!

Hello! Medvedev, serving to stay in the match at 3-5 in the fifth, finds himself at 30-40…

Medvedev is Wile E. Coyote running off the cliff and frantically laying road while running out of tiles. He and Hurkacz both hold – Hurkacz has yet to perpetrate a single unforced error in this set – and when Medvedev misses a chance to secure his latest service game, we reach deuce. I think this is the worst I’ve seen him play, including before he got proper good, but he holds eventually; Hurkacz, on the other hand, has never beaten a player ranked higher than 36 at a major – it was Dusan Lajovic – but this is beginning to feel like a belated coming out party. Hurkacz 2-6 7-6(2) 3-6 6-3 4-3 Medvedev

Another love hold from Pliskova, who completes the game with a 111mph ace. This is not remotely close. Pliskova 6-2 3-1 Golubic

Pliskova is all over Golubic, consolidating easily then, at 40-30 and after Golubic has flicked a backhand drop across the face of the net, mirroring her shot for a winner! That is brilliant, and though Golubic closes out from there, the effort she had to expend does not bode well for her immediate future. Pliskova 6-2 3-1 Golubic

Hurkacz races to 40-0 before a Medvedev winner followed by a forehand error make things tight. So he reaches into his toolbox, removes a gigantic serve, and allows that to do the rest. Hurkacz 2-6 7-6(2) 3-6 6-3 3-1 Medvedev

Daniil Medvedev is in terrible trouble. Hurkacz is starting to read his drops, a skill that helps him to 0-30, and then at 0-40 Medvedev can only send a backhand long. This is so unlike him, but it must also be said that Hurkacz is playing really well, growing in front of our eyes. He’s five holds away from the last eight! Hurkacz 2-6 7-6(2) 3-6 6-3 0-2 Medvedev

Goodness me, a double fault then a barrage of forehands take Pliskova to 15-40 … but she then misses a forehand from close to the net that only needs to go in. That is a terrible miss, except it doesn’t matter because Golubic quickly goes long on the backhand. She looks lost out there, and unless she changes something quickly, she’ll have lost out there. Pliskova 6-2 2-0 Golubic

Medvedev slips, then hoiks a simple forehand long from close to the net, which brings him from 40-15 to deuce. He quickly compensates by hammering down an ace and closing out, but he doesn’t look especially happy out there – unusual for him. Hurkacz 2-6 7-6(2) 3-6 6-3 0-1 Medvedev

Pliskova holds to love in the first game of set two, sealing it with an ace. She’s much too good for Golubic at the moment. Pliskova 6-2 1-0 Golubic

Pliskova is seeing it really nicely and Golubic can’t put her under pressure. If she can’t put some pop on her second serve, she’s not long for this match.

Medvedev has nipped off, which is odd given they’ve only been going three games. Hopefully he’s ok.

Hurkacz started well and aggressively, and this is his reward.

Pliskova consolidates easily and is one game away from securing the first set. Pliskova 5-2 Golubic

Now then! Hurkacz is aggressive in attacking Medvedev’s serve and he breaks for 5-3! He’ll now serve for a deciding set! Hurkacz 2-6 7-6(2) 3-6 5-3 Medvedev

Aaarggghhh! At 0-30, Golubic dumps a simple overhead to give Pliskova three break points, saving the first when a poor drop is patted back leaving half the court open for a retort. I’ve got to say, the standard in this match, relative to the standard Barty, Sabalenka, Kerber and Jabeur have been producing, is low, a sentiment underlined when Pliskova goes to put away an easy smash of her own, only doing so via the net cord. But she won’t care – she leads by a break, and unless something big changes, will soon be a set in front. Pliskova 4-2 Golubic

Medvedev won’t want to be back out there today, but we can assume he’ll handle the situation with his usual equanimity. Hurkacz, though, is the man under pressure because if he doesn’t start fast he’ll be out in short order.

Meantime, Pliskova again holds comfortably. She’s looking the likelier at the moment, but there’s not loads in it. Pliskova 3-2 Golubic

Golubic fights back from 0-30 for 40-30, but her second serve is weak and Pliskova attacks it. She ought to win the point and does, though it takes a wild forehand from her opponent to make it happen. So they work through deuce, Golubic unable to convert a succession of advantages, before a clever slice from Pliskova earns her break point … saved by a luscious single-handed backhand pass swiped cross-court, and Golubic closes out from there.

Being a champion is about more than winning championships.

Pliskova’s serve is grooved now and she holds to love, finishing with an ace down the T. If Golubic can’t find an answer to it, she’s in big trouble. Pliskova 2-1 Golubic

A terrific backhand return gives Pliskova 0-15, but Golubic retorts well and holds via deuce. Pliskova 1-1 Golubic

Hello! Pliskova begins with what looks like an easy hold, but from 40-15 she winds up at deuce, a lesser-spotted foot-fault sealing the deal. But she responds with an ace and closes out from there. Pliskova 1-0 Golubic

I should say, the roof is on. I don’t think it’s raining at the moment, but there’s weather around.

Pliskova has only dropped serve twice in the tournament, and in Zidansek, Vekic, Martincova and Samsonova, she’s met some decent opposition too. If she’s firing today, she’ll win.

And the pair are now stood waiting to come out … and here they come!

I’m really looking forward to seeking what Pliskova makes of today. This is already her best Wimbledon performance, and well though Golubic is playing, had she been offered her to reach the last four, you can bet she’d have taken it. I’ve not seen much of Golubic, but she’s beaten Collins, Brengle and Keys, who are no mugs, might also think that Pliskova is a friendly draw, and will absolutely be aware that this is the chance of her life. Make no mistake, there’s a lot going on here.

I guess Jabeur is the more natural grass-courter, but Sabalenka’s ability to whack it translates pretty well to any surface. Meanwhile, in the studio, Billy Jean just noted that this is the first Wimbledon since 1977 in which no quarter-finalist reached the same stage at Roland Garros – that is ridiculous .

Jabeur v Sabalenka is proper Bran Flakes gear. Jabeur has so much flair, is playing so well and is so damn likeable, while Sabalenka isn’t all that different. The question with her is whether she can produce her best – or anything approximating to it – when the pressure is on. Her progress through the draw has been tricky – she lost sets to Boulter and Rybakina – but where she might previously have lost the match too, she’s gone on to win. However she’s yet to meet a player as good or as grooved as Jabeur, who’s come from behind to beat both Muguruza and Swiatek. I guess I’m leaning towards her, but it’s so, so tight.

Centre Court (from 1.30pm BST)

Daniil Medvedev [2] 6-2 (2)6-7 6-3 3-4 Hubert Hurkacz [14]

Ons Jabeur [21] v Aryna Sabalenka [2]

Ash Barty [1] v Ajla Tomljanovic

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No1 Court (from 1pm BST)

Karolina Pliskova v Viktorija Golubic

Karolina Muchova [19] v Angelique Kerber [25]

Wimbledon is a funny thing, an annual treat that gives us something in which to immerse without the pain and anguish that comes with team sport. Though we might have favourite players, they’re transient – they come, they go, and in the meantime represent their families and their values, not our families and our values.

Consequently, in the process of simply enjoying we can sometimes forget what’s at stake … but not anymore. As Celine Dion noted, baby, this is serious.

Once we get down to the last eight, all those remaining will fancy themselves to leave as champion – particularly on the women’s side, women’s tennis having overtaken MMA as the world’s least predictable sport. Ash Barty, the No 1 seed, has improved through the rounds and looks strong … but she’s playing her mate, Ajla Tomljanovic, who’ll have a good idea of how to hurt her; Karolina Pliskova, one of various who’ve been No1 in the world without winning a major, has slunk silently through the draw and with the pressure off will feel she has the game … but like Jelena Ostapenko, Bianca Andreescu and Barbora Krejcikova, Viktorija Golubic is in the form of her life at just the right time; Angelique Kerber is back in love with the game and the only previous winner left in the draw … but Karolina Muchova has beaten quality opponents to reach this point; and, in the match of the day, Ons Jabeur has finally put together her bewildering selection of spins and angles … but Aryna Sabalenka finally looks comfortable in the big moments.

Add to that the end of Daniil Medvedev’s match against Hubert Hurkacz, and we have yet another silly day of brilliance. Welcome to Wimbledon day eight!