Grateful Rybarikova enjoying dream Wimbledon run

Magdalena Rybarikova has the rather endearing habit of raising her hands to her face in beaming disbelief when she wins a big match.

And we’ve been seeing that celebratory gesture quite a lot at the All England Club this fortnight.

The Slovak, a former world No.31 who’d found herself languishing a lot lower after being felled by injuries, on Tuesday advanced to the semifinals at Wimbledon in what is by far her career-best Grand Slam result.

That result came by way of a 6-3 6-3 demolition of CoCo Vandeweghe, many people’s dark-horse pick for the women’s title.

But perhaps they should have considered Rybarikova in the same manner, especially after watching her stunning defeat of third seed Karolina Pliskova on Centre Court in the second round.

A former champion at the WTA Birmingham event (in 2009) and having scooped two large ITF grasscourt titles leading into Wimbledon, Rybarikova has built a sparkling 18-1 record on grass this season.

“Wimbledon is my favourite Grand Slam, that’s for sure. Also playing on grass, it’s my favourite surface. I really enjoy playing on grass,” she explained.

“I never played good here. I mean, I lost I think eight in a row in the first round. So then it was a little bit in my head that, I mean, I just want to pass the first round. Two years ago I did a third round. Then I relaxed. I was like, Okay, I can make it. I can be through the first round.

“I’ve been playing very well on grass. I won Birmingham (previously). Now I won two titles ITF, I made (WTA) semifinals in Nottingham, and I won against good players. I was still believing I could do well here.

“(But) I’m not used to playing semifinal, obviously. Right now what is happening, it’s just a dream. I’m so, so grateful for this opportunity to be in the semifinal.”

Her elation at finding herself at this stage of the tournament is hardly surprising given where she found herself a few months ago.

In March, she’d plummeted to No.453 in the rankings as she battled to come back from wrist and knee surgeries which had sidelined her for the entire back half of 2016.

Her wrist, in particular, had been a chronic issue.

“Last year it was very difficult for me. I was sometimes thinking maybe I’m never going to come back,” she admitted.

“Really I’m so grateful, and lucky. I’m really lucky that my health is doing well right now (knocking on wood). I don’t have any limit right now. Before I was always having some issues, my knee or my wrist. Now I can just think about my game. Maybe that helped me a lot. Also I can practice fully. Before I was still not sure if I can go tournament or I cannot go, or if I can practice full or not. I was always afraid to be on the court if something is going to happen.

“Right now I really feel very good on court. I think that helped me a lot, and also kind of, as I said before, why I expect much from myself.”

The relief she felt as her body strengthened day after day in early 2017, the confidence she built throughout the grasscourt season and the “big boost” she received after outlasting Pliskova have all combined to put the 28-year-old in a great headspace ahead of the biggest match of her life.

That will be on Thursday against Garbine Muguruza, a Roland Garros champion and former Wimbledon finalist who appears to be rediscovering her finest form.

The winner will have a shot at the Venus Rosewater Dish on the final Saturday.

“Anything can happen. Miracles do happen,” Rybarikova said.

“But I am not that far. I have just ahead of me semifinals against Muguruza. I want to enjoy. What going to happen going to happen. But I’m for sure very satisfied.

“I’m sure I going to fight. I really going to fight for the final. I going to give my all in this match.”