Wimbledon, England – Iga Swiatek, the top seed at the tournament, fought off two match points on Sunday to secure a thrilling 6-7 (4), 7-6 (2), 6-3 victory over Belinda Bencic. This win propels Swiatek into the quarterfinals at Wimbledon for the first time in her career. The Polish player has now extended her unbeaten run to 14 matches, a streak that includes her recent triumph at the French Open, where she claimed her fourth Grand Slam title. Swiatek’s next opponent will be former semifinalist Elina Svitolina, who also battled her way to the quarterfinals with a hard-fought 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (9) victory over Victoria Azarenka.
Swiatek’s success on the clay courts of Roland Garros and the hard courts of the US Open and Australian Open has been well-documented. However, her performance on the grass courts of Wimbledon has been less consistent. This year, she has finally broken through, surpassing her previous best result of reaching the fourth round. Swiatek’s journey to the quarterfinals was not without its challenges, particularly against the powerful Bencic, who won the singles gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Swiatek had numerous opportunities to take control of the match, including six break points in the first set, but failed to convert any of them. Bencic ultimately claimed the first set in a tiebreaker.
After the disappointing first set, Swiatek regrouped during the break and came out strongly in the second set. She managed to break Bencic’s serve and take a 3-1 lead. However, she couldn’t maintain her advantage, losing the next three games and finding herself facing two match points at 6-5 down. Swiatek displayed incredible resilience and fought back to level the score, ultimately winning the second set in a tiebreaker.
In the deciding set, Swiatek seized control early, breaking Bencic’s serve to take a 3-1 lead. This time, she was able to hold on to her advantage and secure the victory. After a grueling match that lasted over two hours, Swiatek unleashed a cross-court forehand winner to seal the win, punching the air in celebration.
Swiatek expressed her relief and satisfaction after the match, acknowledging the significance of her comeback from match point down. She admitted that she needed this win to boost her confidence on the grass surface, where she is still developing her game.
Meanwhile, Elina Svitolina faced a tough challenge of her own in the fourth round. She recovered from a slow start against Victoria Azarenka, eventually winning in a closely contested three-set match. Svitolina’s victory was a significant achievement, as she had never beaten Azarenka before. After sealing the win, Svitolina collapsed on her back in exhaustion. However, she refrained from shaking hands with her opponent, adhering to her personal stance of not shaking hands with players from Belarus or Russia due to the invasion of her country last year.
As the tournament progresses, the stage is set for an exciting quarterfinal matchup between Iga Swiatek and Elina Svitolina. Swiatek will look to continue her impressive form and advance to the next round, while Svitolina aims to build on her hard-fought victory and secure a spot in the semifinals. Tennis fans can expect a thrilling battle between these two talented players.
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