Iga Swiatek finally reaches the Wimbledon quarterfinals. Novak Djokovic’s match was suspended

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Iga Swiatek achieves a breakthrough at Wimbledon, reaching the quarterfinals, while Novak Djokovic’s match gets suspended.

On Sunday, Iga Swiatek found herself on the brink of elimination at Wimbledon not once but twice, facing a potential defeat that has historically troubled her more than any other Grand Slam tournament. Trailing a set and 6-5 in the second set against Belinda Bencic, the top-ranked Swiatek gathered her strength and fought off two match points. With a powerful forehand and a forceful backhand, she erased both match points and quickly regained control of the match.

Although frustrated under the late afternoon sun on Centre Court and nearly facing defeat in the early evening shadows, Swiatek displayed remarkable resilience and secured her spot in the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the first time with a hard-fought 6-7 (4), 7-6 (2), 6-3 victory over the 14th-seeded Bencic.

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Bencic acknowledged Swiatek’s resilience, saying, “I threw everything I could at her and I pushed her to the limit.”

Swiatek, a 22-year-old Polish player, who recently won her fourth major title at the French Open, extended her unbeaten streak to 14 matches. She has triumphed at Roland Garros three times and also clinched a title at the U.S. Open. However, Swiatek had never advanced beyond the fourth round at Wimbledon before. Last year, her 37-match winning streak was halted during a third-round loss at this prestigious tournament.

While Swiatek has demonstrated her prowess on red clay and hard courts, reaching the semifinals at the Australian Open, she still struggles to achieve the same level of performance on grass, the surface used at Wimbledon. Reflecting on her victory, Swiatek expressed her satisfaction, stating, “I wasn’t sure it would end this way. I’m happy that I maintained my belief and continued playing without looking back. This match will definitely boost my confidence. I’m glad it was a closely contested match, and I could still play my game. These moments are important, and I will draw positive lessons from matches like these.”

Her next opponent, Elina Svitolina from Ukraine, secured her place in the quarterfinals as well. Svitolina, a 2019 Wimbledon semifinalist, recently returned to the tour after giving birth in October last year. She defeated Victoria Azarenka, a two-time major champion, in a thrilling 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (11-9) battle.

In the women’s quarterfinals on the top half of the bracket, Jessica Pegula, seeded fourth, will face Marketa Vondrousova, the runner-up at the 2019 French Open.

One of the established men’s quarterfinal matchups is between Jannik Sinner, ranked eighth, and Roman Safiullin. Another quarterfinal will feature Andrey Rublev, ranked seventh, who awaits his opponent as the match between Novak Djokovic and Hubert Hurkacz was suspended after Djokovic claimed the first two sets 7-6 (6), 7-6 (6). The match will resume on Monday.

Bencic, known for her powerful shots, had her right upper arm heavily wrapped in tape. This display of strength reminiscent of her performance at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, where she won a gold medal in singles and a silver in doubles for Switzerland. She also reached the semifinals of the 2019 U.S. Open.

Throughout the match, Swiatek often showed signs of frustration. She slapped her right thigh and looked up at her coach and sports psychologist, as if searching for answers. At one point, she turned her back to the net, staring at the green wall behind the Royal Box. During a changeover, she covered her head with a tournament towel, shutting out distractions.

Swiatek had multiple opportunities to seize the lead earlier in the match. She held six break points in the first set but failed to convert any of them. She even held set points while leading 5-4 in the opener but couldn’t capitalize, allowing Bencic to dominate the subsequent tiebreaker with a 6-1 victory.

However, Swiatek regained her composure after the first set and quickly broke Bencic’s serve, taking a 3-1 lead. Yet, she let that advantage slip away, losing the next three games and finding herself down 6-5, facing match points.

Once she navigated past that crucial moment, Swiatek regained control during the second tiebreaker. From a 2-all tie, she won five consecutive points, including a double fault by Bencic, to force a deciding set.

In the final set, Swiatek demonstrated the skills that earned her the top spot in the rankings, hitting precise shots with great depth. Bencic missed a forehand, leading to a break point, and then double-faulted for the tenth time, allowing Swiatek to take a 3-1 lead. This time, Swiatek maintained her advantage and, after 23 minutes, sealed the victory with a cross-court forehand winner, punching the air in celebration.

“I’m just happy that I won it because it feels like I’m moving in the right direction,” Swiatek said.

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