What started as a trip down memory lane may end up as the greatest tournament in Barbora Strycova’s life.
At the start of The Championships, the 33-year-old Czech had told reporters her 16th appearance at the All England Club could be her last, and that she was soaking up as much of the atmosphere as possible.
Ten days later, the 33-year-old from Plzen, Czech Republic is the oldest first-time Grand Slam semi-finalist in the Open era.
“To play good at this tournament was my dream,” the world No 54 told a news conference, after ending British title hopes with a straight-sets win over Johanna Konta in the quarter-final.
When Strycova was a toddler, her grandparents lived in London. One day, they took her to the Wimbledon Museum.
“I saw the trophy,” she said. “I was like, I'm going to play here. Right now here I'm 33, which is incredible. It's a great story.”
Strycova first started to play tennis when she was five years old. Eleven years later, she was the Wimbedon girls’ champion, beating Maria Sharapova in 2002. In 2004, the Russian won the ladies' singles title, but Strycova mostly excelled in doubles on the Tour. She has won 23 titles, and the Olympic bronze medal with Lucie Safarova at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
In 2013, Strycova served a six-month suspension after she tested positive for a banned stimulant, which she said at the time she had taken through a supplement without realising. Although she considered retirement, it ultimately kick-started her career and she reached her first singles Grand Slam quarter-final at Wimbledon the next year.
Playing in her second Grand Slam quarter-final against Konta, Strycova had been trailing 4-1 before she rallied to win the set, and the match, as she mixed up the pace with forehand slice, half-volleys, angled volleys and athletic all-court coverage.
“I wasn’t surprised she beat Jo,” Barry Cowan, a former British pro, told wimbledon.com.
Strycova’s next opponent is none other than former world No.1 Serena Williams, who beat fellow American Alison Riske in the quarter-finals. The Czech has lost all three previous career meetings against Williams, including a first round defeat at Wimbledon in 2012.
Williams may hold seven Wimbledon singles titles, but the 37-year-old has yet to hit her best form on the grass and could be vulnerable against the crafty Czech, according to Cowan.
Williams’ close victory, in three sets, over Riske “was won through her will and her champion mentaltity,” said Cowan. “What Strycova can do, and which is probably what Riske couldn’t do, is that she is such a good athlete. The way she changed the pace, she is a smart player, serve-and-volleying a few times. And I don’t think Serena is as sharp as she needs to be.”
Tournament statistics show Strycova has been the most attacking player of all four semi-finalists. In five previous matches, she has played 65 serve-and-volley points, winning 50. That’s 60 more than the other three semi-finalists, which also include Romania’s Simona Halep and Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina combined. Strycova, who stands at 5ft 5in, has won 83 per cent of her service games, compared with 80 per cent for Williams, 78 per cent for Svitolina and 76 per cent for Halep.
“I don't have fear,” Strycova said about Williams. “I just will go there Thursday and I will try to play my game. Of course, I don't have such a power like Serena, but I have other weapons. I will try to use them as much as I can. I will enjoy. I have really at this point, nothing to lose.”
Kim Clijsters, a former world No. 1, believes Williams has a slight edge. “With the experience that Serena Williams has playing big matches, at these stages of Grand Slams, I think we have to put her as the favourite,” the Belgian told wimbledon.com.
“Obviously, on the day you never know who can make it tough on her, or if she is going to be a little bit nervous at times, and how physically strong she will be. But I think if everything goes according to plan, where she is feeling good, she is the favourite.”
Much will depend on how Williams is feeling on the day. “I believe if I'm feeling well, I can be a big competitor in a sport that I love and I've done so well at. Maybe as older I get, I enjoy it more,and that's why I play good tennis,” she said.
At the start of the season, Strycova set herself one goal: play well at Wimbledon, her favourite tournament.
“It's happening at this age right now, it's incredible,” Strycova said. “It shows you if I believe it, it's happening.”
As for a possible retirement, Strycova isn’t done just yet. “I was saying I might. I didn' tsay I will,” she smiled, when asked about her future.
