Barty and Kerber into Wimbledon semi-finals

Barty, the former French Open champion, hit 23 winners and wrapped up a brutal 6-1 6-3 victory with an ace in just an hour and six minutes on Centre Court.

The top seed said: “It’s exciting. Ajla is an incredible competitor, I practice with her a lot and of course we are Fed Cup team-mates so she was always going to bring the best out of me.

“All the Aussies back home are bloody proud of her and it was good to share the court with her today.

“This is a dream come true. I know you hear that a lot but this is my dream and I’m extremely grateful to have the chance.”

Barty will face 2018 Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber on Thursday.

“It’s the ultimate test,” added Barty. “Angie has had success here before and I love that match-up. She’s an incredible competitor.”

Kerber, of Germany, beat Czech 19th seed Karolina Muchova 6-2 6-2.

She said: “I’m really looking forward to play against Ash. I mean, we’ve never played on grass.

“She’s played so great over the last few months, years. I know that I have to play my best tennis, and she will push me to that, to give everything out there.”

Aryna Sabalenka feels she finally has the Wimbledon crowd on her side after her 6-4 6-3 win over Ons Jabeur.

Sabalenka, who battled past Great Britain’s Katie Boulter in round two, smiled: “Today was the first day they were behind me. Before they didn’t support me that much.

“I’m really happy that today they were on my side. So hopefully they will keep supporting me the same like today.

“I felt really amazing on the court. I was enjoying every second.”

The second seed from Belarus will face Karolina Pliskova, who swept past surprise package Viktorija Golubic 6-2 6-2.

Pliskova, the eighth seed, who had made the last four in every other major apart from Wimbledon, said: “Of course it was my last grand slam missing the semi-final, so I’m happy now I have all of them.”

Press Association