Ostapenko has no fear

ALREADY a tennis historymaker, Jelena Ostapenko is feeling no pressure after moving to within sight of a second grand slam crown in 13 months.

The 2017 French Open champion ended Dominika Cibulkova’s emotion-charged Wimbledon run with a 7-5 6-4 victory that vaulted the 21year-old into the semi- finals for the first time.

Rebounding from her shock first-round elimination in her Roland Garros title defence, Ostapenko has marched through the draw without dropping a set.

“I was down in the first set but I kept fighting. I’m fighting to the end and it helps me, gives me more confidence,” said the youngest player left in the draw.

“I don’t feel any pressure. Probably because at the French Open a couple weeks ago I had so much pressure.

“It’s now all gone. I’m just enjoying the moment.”

The 12th seed will play resurgent former world No.1 Angelique Kerber for a spot in Saturday’s title decider after the German downed Russian 14th seed Daria Kasatkina 6-3 7-5 in their quarter-final.

Runner-up at The All England Club two years ago, as well as winning the 2016 Australian Open and US Open crowns, Kerber looks on a mission to atone for a disappointing season in the slams in 2017.

“She’s a great player. It’s going to be a battle. It’s going to be a tough match,” Ostapenko said.

“But I’m going to prepare well for it, going to be probably long rallies. I have to be very confident, aggressive, and consistent.”

Kerber and Ostapenko have never clashed before and the winner’s reward will be a date on tennis’s greatest stage with either 23-times grand slam champion Serena Williams or first-time major semifinalist Julia Goerges.

“I don’t care who I am playing against. We are here in the semis and they are all tough opponents and you have to play at your best,” Kerber said after clubbing 33 winners to Kasatkina’s 16.

With no top-10 seeds making the quarter-finals for the first time in Wimbledon history, 11th-seeded Kerber is the highest-ranked player left in the hunt for the Venus Rosewater Dish.

Goerges’s 3-6 7-5 6-1 triumph over Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens keeps alive the possibility of a first-ever all-German grand slam women’s final.