She returned the following year and won the whole tournament, and backed up impressively as defending champion in 2023, losing to eventual finalist Ons Jabeur.

Sabalenka and Jabeur remain the only players to beat her at the All England Club.

And just three other women – tennis icons Monica Seles, Chris Evert and Margaret Court – have won more matches in their first 21 outings at any Grand Slam tournament.

“Definitely I’m feeling pretty well on the court, especially last three matches,” said Rybakina, who two rounds earlier dealt Caroline Wozniacki her heaviest professional loss in more than 16 years.

“I think I showed really good tennis. Sometimes serve can be off, but then the groundstrokes are really well. I’m playing pretty confident.

“I think (I’m) staying really aggressive from the first shots. Definitely I think my return improved. The serve is helping me, even though today maybe not as high percentage. But in important moments, I served it out.

“In 2022 I was definitely more nervous than now. It was the first time for me to play on Centre Court. It was a lot of people, a lot of attention.

“Now, of course, I got used to it a little bit. I’m taking these matches in a different way.”

Although Rybakina’s Wimbledon record is as commanding as ever, there was no guarantee she would make it this far.

Health struggles have forced the 25-year-old to withdraw from five tournaments since February, many of them due to gastrointestinal illness.