But first the Tunisian trailblazer must overcome her "barbecue buddy" Tatjana Maria, herself chasing a small slice of tennis history as the first mother to win Wimbledon since Australian great Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1980.

The unfancied Maria was the first player through to Thursday's semi-finals following a 4-6 6-2 7-5 comeback win over fellow German outsider Jule Niemeier, who was making her Wimbledon main-draw debut.

Edging ever closer to penning one of sport's great tales, third seed Jabeur also recovered from a set down in Tuesday's second quarter-final to thwart Czech Marie Bouzkova 3-6 6-1 6-1.

Maria, though, is on the verge of becoming one of the most unlikeliest finalists in the tournament's 145-year history.

The world No.103 is just the sixth woman in the open era to reach the semis after turning 34, joining legends Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova and Serena and Venus Williams.

"One year ago, I just gave birth," Maria said. "It's crazy."

And now-14-month-old Cecilia was her second child, too.

Her first daughter Charlotte, born in 2013, was watching on last week as Maria ventured beyond the third round of a slam for the first time in 35 attempts.

She'd never even made it that far at the other three majors.

Outside the top 250 as recently as March, Maria had lost in the first round at the 2021 US Open and 2022 Australian Open and French Open since returning from maternity leave.

That all changed on the grass courts of London's SW19.

Maria beat three seeded players in a row in her run to the last eight - Sorana Cirstea in her second match, fifth seed Maria Sakkari in the third round and No.12 Jelena Ostapenko in the last 16.

But tennis is merely her day job.

"To be a mum of my two kids, for me that's the most important in my life," she said.

"Nothing will change this. I'm here, yeah, I'm in the semi-final of Wimbledon, it's crazy, but I'm still a mum.

"After this I will go out over there and I will see my kids and I will do the same thing that I do every single day.

"I will change her Pampers, I mean, everything normal. I try to keep normal as much as possible because what makes me the proudest is to be a mum."

Jabeur said there's no one she'd prefer to play more in her maiden grand slam semi.

"I love Tatjana so much and her family is so amazing," the 27-year-old said.

"She is my barbecue buddy so it will be tough to play her, obviously.

"But she is a great friend and I am really happy she is in the semi-final."

Australian Associated Press