Daily Record

NowayI’ll be taken foraMug thistime

- NEIL McLEMAN sport@dailyrecor­d.co.uk

GARBINE MUGURUZA insists she’s ready for glory at Wimbledon after marching into the semis.

The Spanish ace was runner-up at SW19 two years ago – losing in straight sets to an inspired Serena Williams.

But the 23-year-old now believes she has the class and experience to go one step further.

After seeing off Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3 6-4 yesterday, Muguruza said: “Reaching the final in 2015 seems far away. I am a different player, more calm now. There have been big changes in me.

“I’m so happy to be back at the place where I had my breakthrou­gh.”

Kuznetsova enjoyed strong starts in both sets but failed to capitalise and it was Muguruza’s superior serving and movement that proved decisive.

She said: “I played well. I was clear about what I had to do, we have played a lot together. I was just trying to go for it, play my game.”

Muguruza now faces the unseeded Slovakian Magdalena Rybarikova who routed Coco Vandeweghe 6-3 6-3.

Their rain-plagued match was halted for hours before being moved under the Centre Court roof.

But the world No. 87 did not allow the disruption to shake her form or focus and produced a sparkling display of grasscourt tennis to defeat the American.

Rybarikova is the lowestrank­ed player for almost a decade to reach the women’s last four.

And she said: “I can’t believe I am a Wimbledon semi-finalist. I need to sleep on it to believe it.”

The Slovak shocked third seed Czech Karolina Pliskova in the second round to dump her out.

But Pliskova will now become the world No.1 after Simona Halep’s loss to Johanna Konta. There was a torrential summer’s day downpour on Murray Mound but these chirpy fans braved the rain to cheer Jo Konta into the semi-finals.

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GLORY BID Muguruza

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