Court in a trap? Wobbly Serena faces test against wily Barbora Strycova

American superstar Serena Williams is tantalizingly close to equalling Margaret Court's record haul of 24 Grand Slam titles but it's far from a certainty given her shaky displays so far at Wimbledon.

37-year-old seven-time champion h to draw on all her strength -- physical and mental -- to get past unseeded compatriot Alison Riske in last eight and faces ar grass court loving opponent in Barbora Strycova in Thursday's semi-finals.

33-year-old Czech veteran -- oldest player to play in a woman's Wimbledon semi-final for first time -- has played some wonderful tennis and says she will step onto Centre Court "without any fear".

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or semi-final pits two seeds against each or, seventh seed and former world number one Simona Halep against eighth-seeded Ukrainian Elina Svitolina. It says a lot about turbulence of women's tennis that Williams is making her 12th semi-final appearance while of or three only Halep has gone this far before, and that was back in 2014. Williams is colossus that still bestrides women's tennis, but re are chinks in her armor as have been exposed both at Wimbledon and in her last two Grand Slam finals.

Outplayed by Angelique Kerber in last year's Wimbledon final and n a spectacular meltdown in US Open defeat by Naomi Osaka gives Strycova genuine hope of an upset. t that diminutive Czech will require any as her bubbly character oozes optimism and her form guide is as good as any of semi-finalists having ousted four seeds on her way to semi-final. Williams's clay court campaign was affected by a knee injury but has accrued invaluable extra game time by playing mixed doubles with ar former world number one, Andy Murray.

"This is first time since Australia (she reached quarter-finals of Australian Open) that I actually felt, like, good," said Williams.

"It's been a really, really long year for me alrey, and hard year, because I'm usually t typically injured.

"I don't kw where I am. I do kw I feel good." However, she has still looked vulnerable and Strycova's speed round court and array of shots will pay dividends if she reproduces leen-footed performance she put up against Riske.

Williams's coach Patrick Mouratoglou said Court's record is why his star came back after giving birth and multiple injury problems.

"That's why she came back to playing tennis after having a baby and so many medical complications," he said.

" effort she's put in, I've never seen something like this.

"You have idea how hard she worked to come back to that level, and she came back for that, so it will probably mean a lot if she makes it."

Strycova for her part described Williams as a great champion and amazing athlete but if that indicated she was intimidated think again.

"I don't have fear,"

"I don't have such power like Serena, but I have or weapons."

"I will try to use m as much as I can. I will enjoy."

"I have really at this point thing to lose." Strycova said. 

Her coach Lukas Dlouhy says Strycova has never given up hope of big day finally arriving in what is her 53rd Grand Slam.

"She always tried hard, she was always working at 100 percent, she never quit or did anything wrong," said Dlouhy.

Halep should prevail in or clash, t only because of her greater experience and having won a  Slam in last year's French Open, but she says she has at last taken to grass after t being best suited to it when she lost to Eugenie Bouchard in 2014 semi-final.

Halep showed this in impressing in her previous two matches dealing with partisan crowd in beating Coco Gauff and n coming back from 4-1 down and break points in first set against Zhang Shuai in her quarter-final.

"I'm a different person," said 27-year-old Romanian.

"Everything changed. I have a lot of experience w. I'm more confident.

"I love grass. It's first time when I say that."