Tennis-Clinical Rybakina powers into Wimbledon final

Elena Rybakina powered into the Wimbledon final by dismantling former champion Simona Halep 6-3 6-3 on Thursday with a clinical display to reach her maiden Grand Slam showpiece.

Halep was caught in the crosshairs of an onslaught from the Russian-born Kazakh, who pummelled her Romanian opponent with rasping serves and savage forehands. Halep, the champion in 2019, did not help her cause, with a string of double faults to hand Rybakina chances at key moments.

Yet the 17th seed needed little assistance, as she became the first player from Kazakhstan to reach a Grand Slam final, where she will meet Tunisian third seed Ons Jabeur.