Vera Zvonareva found herself a set down on Centre Court today. Across the net was the world No82, Tsvetana Pironkova, and the prize at stake was a place in the final. There was a time when Zvonareva would likely have buckled under the pressure. She has long been seen as a talented flake.
In her only other grand slam semi-final, at the Australian Open last year, she lost in straight sets and then petulantly put all the blame on the fact that the organisers had closed the roof. Yesterday she simply dug deeper and battled back. She took the next two sets, winning 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, and will play the red-hot favourite Serena Williams in Saturday's final.
"I don't care what everyone says," Zvonareva said when asked how she felt about being such an underdog. "I know if I play my best tennis I can beat anyone on the other side of the net. That's what I am going to try to do on Saturday. I never look at odds. It is not important to me."
After that Australian Open semi-final Zvonareva reached a career-high ranking of No5. Shortly afterwards she tore two ligaments in her ankle, and while she was back playing when Wimbledon came around that summer, her form had slumped. She was ranked 21 coming into these Championships.
In the US Open last September she collapsed in spectacular fashion after squandering six match points against Flavia Pennetta. She burst into tears, smashed her racquet, tore the strapping off her knee and swore at the umpire. The following winter she received intensive physio and fitness work alongside Arsenal's Robin van Persie at a medical centre in Amsterdam. The persistent ankle problems have finally been shrugged off, but better still she has discovered new depths of resilience.
This was the second match in succession in which she has come back from a set-down. She did it against Kim Clijsters in the quarters, and, while Pironkova may not have been such a tough opponent, the way she bossed the first set suggested that Zvonareva would struggle to come back.
"I started really well," agreed Pironkova, "but Vera started to play amazingly in the second set and in the third one." Pironkova played cannily at first, taking pace off the ball and waiting for opportunities to unleash her majestic forehand. But Zvonareva stepped it up. "Her strokes were so powerful," said Pironkova. "Forehand, backhand ... her serve was consistent as well."