Consider the good and real Elina Svitolina again.
The former world No. 3 beat world No. 1 Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-2 on Tuesday on Center Court in Wimbledon to advance to the third Grand Slam semi-final in the tournament. Karma.
The 2 hour and 50 minute win was Svitolina’s seventh career win over the world No 1 and her first since she beat then top ranked Simona Halep. to win the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome 2018. It was also her victory. her fourth win over a major champion in these two weeks, as she also beat Venus Williams, Sofia Kenin and Victoria Azarenka.
Svitolina is the third player in the Open Era to beat four former major champions in a Grand Slam after Serena Williams at the 1999 US Open and Justine Henin at Roland Garros in 2005. In the end, both won. get this title.
Vondrousova draws Pegula to reach Wimbledon semi-finals
Five wins so far in these two weeks help Svitolina reach the Wimbledon semi-finals for the second time in her career, after first doing so four years ago in 2019.
«That meant the whole world to me. … I didn’t really expect that I would make it to the semi-finals,» Svitolina said afterward. «I want to continue down this path. There’s a big challenge in front of me. But I’m really, really proud of the way I’ve played against tough opponents, Grand Slam champions, players who know how to win, how to play, moments of pressure.
«Really pleased with my performance and with the way that I have handled the situation so far.»
What does it mean: Playing her second Grand Slam since she returned to tennis in April following the birth of her daughter in October, Svitolina is the third wild player to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals, but the first to do so. this after more than a decade.
Wimbledon: Score | draw | Order of play
The Ukrainian joins Zheng Jie of China (2008) and Sabine Lisicki of Germany (2011) in that achievement. Although she was ranked 76th at the start of Wimbledon, thanks in part to reaching the quarterfinals of Roland Garros last month, Svitolina’s ranking is outside the main draw threshold at the Wimbledon deadline in May.
How was the match won?: Svitolina could have ended up winning in two sets, as she took the lead in both first sets to secure a favorable position for the match. She went 5-3 in the opener and 3-1 in the second, and then, 4-1 in the draw before Swiatek hit the four winners in the next six points. to take the game far.
But, Svitolina recovered quickly: She held a 1-1 draw to stifle Swiatek’s momentum – the first of five games in a row she won to take the lead late in the game. She never faced a break in the last frame.
«We had a lot of good rallies. A lot of good games. Tough situations. Tough moments,» said Svitolina. «The crowd was great today. Really enjoyed the match. Although I was really disappointed with the second set, that I couldn’t win in two innings, Iga played unbelievable. She won. won that second set.
«But then I tried to come back, tried to go on. Yes, I finally found myself winning the match.»
semi-final prospect: With Svitolina’s win, an unseeded finalist will be guaranteed elimination from the top half of the draw. Next, she will face Czech Marketa Vondrousova, the 43rd Roland Garros 2019 finalist, who defeated fourth seed Jessica Pegula on Courts 1, 6-4, 2-6, 6- 4.
Swiatek says she knows who she’s supporting.
«I think overall, looking at her career, getting a Grand Slam title would be pretty amazing for her. She’ll come back after becoming a mother,» she said.
«…We love each other like humans. I told her online that I hope she wins this tournament. You know what it’s like in tennis: it’s very difficult to win a Grand. Slam. I know for sure that she really wants it bad. So I’ll cheer for her, yeah.»
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