Wimbledon

Top 5 Photos, July 11: Serena, Halep shine in front of Royal Box icons

Serena Williams and Simona Halep continued their march towards history as David Beckham and Richard Branson watched each sail into the Wimbledon final.

By Jordaan SanfordPublished July 11, 2019

Two Grand Slam champions seamlessly won their Wimbledon semifinal matches on Centre Court in front of a star-studded Royal Box on Thursday. These are the Top 5 photos around the grounds of the London major.

1. On Simona Halep's second match point, she stepped into an inside-out forehand return to defeat Elina Svitolina 6-1, 6-3, claiming a spot in her first Wimbledon final. The Romanian counterpuncher revealed a more aggressive style of play and moved freely to advance after 73 minutes. Looking for her first title since triumphing in Canada last August, Halep is hungry to return to the winner's circle. She will look to become the first Romanian woman to capture the Wimbledon crown on Saturday.

Romania's Simona Halep celebrates beating Ukraine's Elina Svitolina during their women's singles semi-final match on day ten of the 2019 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 11, 2019. (Photo by Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo credit should read DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images) — © AFP/Getty Images

2. Former Manchester United and England midfielder David Beckham and Virgin Group founder Richard Branson took in the women's semifinals from the Royal Box. Regular attendees of the tournament, Beckham invited his mom Sandra, while Branson enjoyed the day out with his daughter Holly.

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 11: Entrepreneur Richard Branson and former football player David Beckham attend the Royal Box during Day Ten of The Championships - Wimbledon 2019 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 11, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) — © Getty Images

3. Serena Williams hasn't played much tennis this year, but she's used every match at the All England Club to work on honing her game. In her latest win, she posted a dominating 6-1, 6-2 victory over Barbora Strycova to set a Wimbledon final encounter with Simona Halep. The 37-year-old American will aim to lift her 24th Grand Slam trophy on Saturday, which would tie the all-time record set by Margaret Court in 1973.

US player Serena Williams celebrates winning a point against Czech Republic's Barbora Strycova during their women's singles semi-final match on day ten of the 2019 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 11, 2019. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo credit should read BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images) — © AFP/Getty Images

4. Rafael Nadal hit the practice courts in advance of his highly-anticipated semifinal clash with Roger Federer. The 18-time Grand Slam champion has shown he's in form and ready for the blockbuster after dropping just one set en route to the final four. The Spaniard hasn't faced Federer on grass since their unforgettable 2008 Wimbledon final. (Watch: Strokes Of Genius)

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 11: Rafael Nadal of Spain plays a backhand in practice during Day Ten of The Championships - Wimbledon 2019 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 11, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images) — © Getty Images

5. After Nicole Melichar and Bruno Soares eliminated Serena Williams and Andy Murray from the mixed doubles draw, Matwe Middelkoop and Zhaoxuan Yang upset the top seeds. The unseeded pair defeated Melichar and Soares, 6-4, 6-3, to advance to the semifinals.