A Wimbledon which has seen Russian players banned from competing could yet see a Russian-born winner, after Elena Rybakina advanced to Saturday’s women’s final and moved one match away from victory at the All England Club.

Rybakina, who was born in Moscow but now represents Kazakhstan after switching international allegiances four years ago, crushed former Wimbledon champion Simona Halep in straight sets in the semi-finals to set up a meeting with Ons Jabeur.

The 23-year-old will be competing in her first grand slam final but her tournament run at SW19 could come as a huge embarrassment to the All England Club, who took the decision to ban players from Russia and Belarus from the Championships following the invasion of Ukraine.

Rybakina first represented Kazakhstan four years ago after accepting financial support from the country to help her tennis career. She also competed under the Kazakhstan flag at the Olympic Games in Tokyo last year but when asked whether she felt Kazak or Russia this week, the world number 23 said it was “tough” to say.

The order of play on Centre for tomorrow is now out. Cam Norrie vs Novak Djokovic is first up before Rafael Nadal takes on Nick Kyrgios. That is, of course, presuming that Nadal is fit enough to play...

There’s been no confirmation from his camp either way yet and he looked very timid when hitting some serves during practice earlier.

Novak Djokovic vs Cameron Norrie (GBR)

Rafael Nadal vs Nick Kyrgios

“It was a great match. Simona is a great champion and we had many tough matches before. I was really focused today and I’m really happy with my performance because I think I played really solid today.

“I was nervous of course but I think the matches before helped me with my first match on Court 1 the other day and today was Centre Court for the first time but I think the atmospheres I’ve had have helped me. When I came out I was nervous but I’m really happy I managed to win.

“I don’t know how to describe it, it was really good, today I was mentally prepared and did everything I could and it was an amazing match.

“I think it’s going to be a great match [against Ons Jabeur], she’s a great player, very tricky player, it’s not going to be easy to play against her drop shots and volleys. I think it will be a great match and I will enjoy it, I think I already did the work so it’s time to enjoy it out on court.”

Ram/Salisbury 6-3 7-6 (7-1) 6-7 (9-11) 4-6 2-6 Ebden/Purcell

Bad news for Joe Salisbury and Rajeev Ram as the Anglo-American pair squander a two-set lead to miss out in the men’s doubles semi-final. Matt Ebden and Max Purcell saved three match points in the third-set tiebreak and took full advantage from there.

Matt Ebden won’t have too long to celebrate though - he’ll have to get showered, warm back up and then head to Centre Court where he’ll be in mixed doubles final action a little later!

There will be a first-time grand slam champion at Wimbledon after Elena Rybakina powered Simona Halep off the court to set up a final against Ons Jabeur, writes Jamie Braidwood .

Two first-time finalists, in fact, but there was no evidence of the relative inexperience of the 23-year-old Rybakina as she took on Halep in a brutal contest of baseline hitting on Centre Court and emerged with the biggest victory of her career so far.

It brings an end to Halep’s 12-match win streak at the All England Club, a run that stretches back to the 2019 title she was unable to defend last year. While it had looked this week that the former world number one was returning to that imperious form, the shocking power of Rybakina’s groundstrokes from the back of the court shattered her resurgence and a crisis of double faults sealed her fate down the stretch.

You could not have asked for a clearer contrast of semi-finals on Centre Court, after Jabeur was victorious in the contest of angles, spins and slices in taking down her close friend Tatjana Maria earlier in the afternoon. There was little room for deftness of touch here, as the tall and elegant Rybakina displayed crushing power on what is just her second appearance at SW19.

So, we now know what the line-up for the women’s singles final at Wimbledon 2022 on Saturday will be. Two first-time grand slam finalists as Ons Jabeur will face Elen Rybakina.

Jabeur will be favourite as No 2 seed but it’s hard to imagine anyone being able to live with Rybakina if she serves as she did in that victory...

Great point! Rybakina is like a brick wall at the net as Halep throws everything at her but can’t get past. 15-15.

Big serves from Halep take the game to 40-15 but after a strong return closes the gap, it’s the dreaded double fault (her 9th of the match) that brings up deuce.

Halep then goes wide and it’s match point Rybakina! WHAT A RETURN! Serve out wide but a clean backhand winner down the line.

RYBAKINA WINS TO REACH THE WIMBLEDON FINAL!

Brilliant by Rybakina - a mesmerising performance

*denotes next to serve

As the finish line comes into sight, will Rybakina start to tense up? Not judging by that first point... A thumping cross-court forehand back behind Halep makes it 15-0 and an unreturned first serve next up takes it to 30-0.

Big forehand from the net from Halep but that’s followed by a serve out wide that the Romanian does well to even get the frame of the racket on... Two game points for Rybakina and although Halep denies her first time, an ace wins it. What a weapon that is!

She’s on the brink at 5-3...

*denotes next to serve

Cameron Norrie should believe he can upset Novak Djokovic and reach the Wimbledon final according to coach James Trotman, who has seen him develop from a green teenager into one of the world’s best players.

Trotman was the coach who worked with Norrie after he made the decision a decade ago to switch allegiance to Great Britain, moving more than 10,000 miles from his home in Auckland, New Zealand to London.

Norrie opted to continue his peripatetic tennis journey by moving to the US and studying at Texas Christian University but has kept Trotman as part of his team throughout.

“It was a massive change for him, leaving home, it was a huge decision,” said Trotman.

“Honestly, if you could see that 17-year-old now compared to the person you talk to and the clarity he has on who he is and what he wants to become and how he’s going to go about it, it’s phenomenal.

Credit to Halep - that’s an impressive service game in response.

Powerful groundstrokes remind Rybakina that she’s very much still in this match and she holds to love. Very, very impressive. Two chances for her to break Rybakina now and keep her Wimbledon hopes alive.

*denotes next to serve