Johanna Konta versus Venus Williams

Andy Murray may have satisfied the hopes of a nation when he won the title here a few years ago, but that has not stopped the crowd from hanging on every swing of Johanna Konta's racket as she attempts to become the first woman since Virginia Wade in 1977 to win the Ladies Singles title.  She is within two matches of accomplishing that feat, but to do so, she must first get by a formidable foe in Venus Williams in the semifinals.  The American is a familiar face on these lawns and appreciated by the British fans.  Either woman would be favored in the championship match, but only one of them will have the opportunity to contest it.

As to which woman that will be, it is a tough call.  That is in part due to the similarities in their games.  Each possesses a powerful first delivery and exceptional firepower from the ground.  And while Williams is known for her net play, Konta has shown she can be equally competent in the forecourt.  Williams's defensive skills are perhaps a hair better strictly because she has a lankier frame and is a bit quicker off the mark, but Konta has exhibited admirable speed around the court as well.  The Brit's forehand is generally more technically sound than the American's, and she tends to hit flatter, which should result in her making more inroads on the tenth seed's game if she is striking the ball well.  With neither woman really having a decisive edge in any department, this match is going to hinge on who has the better serving day, takes advantage of the return on second serves, and can keep the unforced error count at a reasonable level while still playing with controlled aggression.

As important as game execution is, however, the most important factor in determining the outcome of this match will be which of these two competitors is ready to handle the pressure of the moment.  It is so easy to point the finger at Williams.  She has won here five times and been to a number of other major finals, including earlier this year in Melbourne.  As the lower seed, she is also technically the underdog.  But there is no doubt that securing a major title here would probably be the sweetest of her career, as at age thirty-seven, she knows the door is closing.  That brings its own unique pressure that she will have to put out of mind if she wants to perform her best.

As far as Konta is concerned, she has the double-edged sword of the crowd support with which to contend.  She fed on the crowd's energy to get her through tight spots, but trying to deliver on their hopes and dreams can also be stifling.  Furthermore, she has never been to a major final.  Trying to clear that hurdle is hard enough without having to take out a five-time champ at this tournament to do so.  But Konta has been tested throughout this tournament, and she has successfully backed herself to earn the victory each and every time.  And though her matches with Williams have always been close, she does lead their rivalry 3-2, including a victory in their only meeting at a major.  She should believe that there is no reason she cannot pad that lead with a victory on Thursday.

Suffice it to say, this one has all the ingredients to be a blockbuster semifinal.  They have always put on superb displays in the past, and it is only fitting that they should continue that pattern here.  Once again, despite what the odds-makers may say, it is so difficult to bet against Williams.  She plays so well at Wimbledon and has so much history there that it is perfectly conceivable that she could add another chapter to her illustrious career on the hallowed lawns.  But Konta is playing well.  She appears to be a woman on a mission, and the tight jams she has managed to escape to reach the final four could only have bolstered her confidence and belief that she can do so here again if necessary.  Provided she does not allow the pressure of the moment to get to her and is able to keep her wits about her then she has just a sliver more hope of being the one to advance to the final on Saturday.

Garbiñe Muguruza versus Magdalena Rybarikova

As a former Roland Garros Champion and finalist here, Garbiñe Muguruza was one of the women with a decent look at taking advantage of a wide-open field.  With each passing round, she has increasingly looked like a strong contender.  After defeating two former Grand Slam champions just to reach this point, she likely cannot believe her luck that she is facing the unseeded Magdalena Rybarikova for a berth in the final.  The Spaniard is the obvious favorite, but only time will tell if she is going to send Rybarikova packing or if this Slovak Cinderella's stay at the ball is going to last a little longer.

Looking strictly at their respective games, Muguruza has the more penetrating arsenal.  She hits hard and flat, which allows her ball to travel through the court quicker.  Her pace of shot has also allowed her to get to the net on many occasions, and she has demonstrated soft hands once there.  In addition to that, she gets more pop on her serve, and her second serve is better than the Slovak's.  Overall, she has the more aggressive style, and if she brings her best, she should be the player dictating proceedings most of the time.

Where Muguruza brings the power, Rybarikova, by contrast, tends to frequently, albeit not always, put more air under the ball.  She has a tendency to produce her ground strokes with a loopy windup, and while that could be a potential pitfall for her, it has been anything but.  If anything, putting air under the ball and often producing softer-paced shots has served her well, as it is something that is not seen much on the tour these days.  It can throw the opposition out of rhythm and cull errors from an opponent's racket.  Furthermore, when she is especially hitting her forehand well, she can find some great angles that really pull her adversary off the court to create space and set up winners.  It is a strategy that has clearly worked well for her thus far, having knocked off both Karolina Pliskova and Coco Vandeweghe to get here, so it could be more of the same against the fourteenth seed.

Given who she has defeated to get to this point, Muguruza should know better than to be taking Rybarikova lightly.  That said, there is no denying that she is far and away the heavy favorite in this match.  She is a major singles champion and has been to the final here.  Just last year she was ranked number two in the world, and she has accomplished far more at this level than the Slovak.  Those results, however, come with expectations, and fans have seen Muguruza falter under the weight of them.  She must avoid crumbling under the pressure here and avoid being guilty of looking beyond her present opponent as so many of the pundits are sure to do when analyzing this semifinal.  Given her history, there is simply no guarantee that she will do that.

Of course, there is no telling how Rybarikova is going to respond to this situation either.  Of the four women remaining in the draw, she is apt to be the one who would be most satisfied with a semifinal finish and all the perks that come with it.  She is a veteran, who has never cracked the Top 30.  She endured two surgeries last year and at one point was ranked outside of the Top 400 earlier this season.  Until this event, she had never even been to the second week of a major.  To say that she is pleasantly surprised with what she has accomplished this fortnight in London would be an understatement.  Still, no player likes to lose, and she knows she is on the brink of something even more special.  There will be an underlying question as to whether the nerves will appear as it dawns on her what she is so close to unexpectedly achieving.

Nerves will be the biggest intangible in this contest, and either woman could be the one to succumb to them.  The smart money for the victory remains on Muguruza.  She has more experience and owns the better game to influence the outcome.  But do not dismiss Rybarikova.  She has already sent a couple of hard hitters packing.  A third is not out of the question.