By Aadi Nair
(Reuters) – Iga Swiatek’s new-found love of grass will face a stern test when she meets Elina Svitolina in the Wimbledon quarter-finals on Tuesday as the world number one continues her bid to conquer the final frontier and win her first title on the surface.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek has gone from strength to strength at Wimbledon this year, reaching the last eight for the first time despite her preparations for the tournament being less than ideal.
The Pole, who won her third French Open title last month, suffered from fever and possible food poisoning before the start of Wimbledon and had to withdraw from the semi-finals of the Bad Homburg Open.
But she recovered in time for the grasscourt Grand Slam, winning her first three matches in straight sets before saving two match points to claw out a 6-7(4) 7-6(2) 6-3 victory against Olympic champion Belinda Bencic in the fourth round.
“It gives me belief. I don’t know, more experience, for sure, because Belinda is a really, really great player,” top seed Swiatek, a former junior champion at Wimbledon, told reporters on Sunday.
“It wasn’t an easy match for sure today. I’m just happy that I won it because it feels I’m going in the right direction.”
In Svitolina, Swiatek faces a former Wimbledon semi-finalist, who also secured a hard-fought victory on Sunday, beating Belarusian Victoria Azarenka 2-6 6-4 7-6(9).
“I think she’s that kind of player who is patient,” Swiatek said of 28-year-old Ukrainian wild card Svitolina.
“She has enough experience to have all the skills to play defence, play offence. She won so many big tournaments, like WTA Finals… She’s a really solid player. So I have to be ready for everything.”
The other women’s match on Tuesday features fourth-seeded American Jessica Pegula facing Czech Marketa Vondrousova, with both players contesting their first Wimbledon quarter-final.
DJOKOVIC
Novak Djokovic, attempting to win a fifth straight Wimbledon title, meets Russia’s Andrey Rublev in the men’s quarter-finals.
The match will be the eighth grand slam quarter-final of Rublev’s career, with the Russian having never previously progressed past the last eight at a major. He was beaten by Djokovic at the same stage in this year’s Australian Open.
Asked about Rublev’s record, Djokovic said in his on-court interview: “He’s been a top 10 player for many years. He’s looking for his first Grand Slam semi-final. Hopefully that’s not going happen.
“I was surprised that he has actually never reached the semi-finals of a Grand Slam, which obviously will serve as a motivation more for him tomorrow to be inspired and play his best tennis,” the Serbian added later in his press conference.
There is also a fresh face in the men’s draw, with Russia’s Roman Safiullin playing in his first major quarter-final when he takes on Italian eighth seed Jannik Sinner.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)
