Iga Swiatek saved two match points while Elina Svitolina triumphed in a stormy, politically-charged duel with Victoria Azarenka to set up a Wimbledon quarter-final showdown.
World number one Swiatek beat Olympic champion Belinda Bencic 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/2), 6-3 on Centre Court. Over on Court One, Ukraine’s Svitolina came from a set and break down to defeat Belarusian rival Azarenka 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (11/9). Swiatek, the reigning US Open and French Open champion, saved two match points in the 12th game of the second set before going on to book a place in the quarter-finals for the first time. Four-time major winner Swiatek, 22, said she felt was able to play without fear when facing a shock exit. “It’s actually a little bit easier because on the other hand you feel like she’s leading anyway so you play those shots more fearlessly because you know you have nothing to lose.” Svitolina refused to shake the hand of Azarenka in protest at the Belarus government’s support of Russia over the war in Ukraine. It has become a common feature but that didn’t prevent fans from this time booing Azarenka.
Happiest moment, “It was like this for me in Paris at the French Open. It was also unfair,” said Svitolina. Despite the controversy, Svitolina described victory as one of her greatest moments. “I think after giving birth to our daughter this is the second-happiest moment in my life,” said Svitolina, who is married to french tennis star Gael Monfils. Meanwhile, Mirra Andreeva’s fairytale season continued as the 16-year-old Russian reached the fourth round, defeating 22nd-seeded compatriot Anastasia Potapova 6-2, 7-5. “Even if I wanted to show my emotions I couldn’t because I was out of breath on every point,” said Andreeva, who came through qualifying and is making her tournament debut.
