Wimbledon: Inspired Elina Svitolina topples top seed Iga Swiatek in quarter-final
Elina Svitolina recovers from conceding two breaks in the first set and losing the second to beat tournament favourite Iga Swiatek in Wimbledon quarter-final; Ukraine's Svitolina to face Marketa Vondrousova in semi-finals after she upset fourth-seed Jessica Pegula
Tuesday 11 July 2023 17:20, UK
Elina Svitolina came through a tremendous three-set battle to defeat tournament top seed Iga Swiatek in their Wimbledon quarter-final on Tuesday.
Svitolina looked stunned when she sealed the 7-5 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 victory in front of a delighted Centre Court crowd.
The Ukrainian had to stage a remarkable fight back, twice recovering from a break down, to win the first set against Swiatek 7-5.
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World No. 1 Swiatek began the match with a declaration of intent, winning the first game against Svitolina's serve. She looked to have taken an early command of their quarter-final, showing a deft touch as she placed the ball out of Svitolina's reach.
But errors began to creep into her work and knocking the ball into the net saw a break handed back to Svitolina.The Pole again appeared to restore her ascendancy when Svitolina returned a forehand too long and Swiatek went up a break once more.
Svitolina crucially held serve in the next game. Swiatek would then start to falter. She doubled faulted to give a game away. The Pole and tournament top seed would continue to miscue her shots and, with the pressure now on her, she sent a volley wayward to give Svitolina the first set.
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After a pause for the roof to be closed under the threat of rain, Swiatek regrouped. She held her serve to get a game on the board and then, in a moment of complacency, Svitolina missed an opportunity when 40-0 up in her own service game and Swiatek swept in to take a break.
But Svitolina would not willingly be squeezed out of the set. She broke back again to level the scoreboard up. Swiatek put her under yet more pressure in the ninth game of the second set but Svitolina saved two break points and could celebrate a hold.
For a second time the Pole found herself serving to stay in the match. But she held her composure to take it into a tiebreak.
But, inspired to win, Svitolina, who has returned to the sport after recently becoming a mother, secured a mini-break and Swiatek's misfiring forehand saw her go up 3-1. The Ukrainian fired a serve down on the line to take an ace.
Swiatek however found a tremendous forehand return to beat Svitolina and level the tiebreak. She finished a rally just landing the ball in the far corner of the court and the Pole's expert accuracy suddenly was leaving Svitolina swinging and missing. From 4-1 down in the tiebreak, Swiatek took it 7-5.
The Ukrainian though secured a wide advantage in the third set. She claimed the first break of the decider, fighting to stay in the game on Swiatek's serve and finally converting an advantage. She would get another break in that set and served her way through it.
She double faulted on her first match point, but with that final hint of nerves out the way, she made sure of a momentous win.
'Unbelievable'
"I don't know what is happening right now," Svitolina said after her win. "It's unbelievable and I'm really happy that I got this chance to play here again - and in this great match and with a great atmosphere.
"It was not easy today, playing against Iga obviously. She is always fighting. It was an unbelievable match and I'm really happy I could win this one.
"At the beginning of the tournament, if someone had told me I'd be in the semi-final after beating the world No 1, I'd have said they were crazy. I'm just going to enjoy tonight and then regroup ready for the next big battle."
Pegula crashes out
Marketa Vondrousova sent fourth seed Jessica Pegula crashing out of the tournament with an upset win in their quarter-final.
Pegula did overturn a one-set deficit to lead 3-1 in the decider. They paused for just over 20 minutes to allow the roof on Court One to be closed and 2019 French Open finalist Vondrousova returned to win five of the next six games to progress 6-4 2-6 6-4.
"I don't know what happened," Vondrousova said. "It's an amazing feeling, I cannot believe it. I never played on Court No. 1 under the roof. It's amazing.
"I just wanted to stay as long as I could and I fought until the end. She was pushing me to the edge so I am just so proud of my game."
Pegula, playing in her sixth grand slam quarter-final, arrived on court having only dropped a single set all championship and looked set to sail through her latest match after an instant break of serve led to a swift 2-0 lead.
But she failed to hold three times during an erratic opening set in which momentum flowed back and forth, while paying a heavy price for a string of unforced errors.
With left-handed Vondrousova giving her the run around thanks to an array of pace, bounce and spin, the 29-year-old desperately needed to assert some authority on a tight contest.
She attacked the net more aggressively in the second set and a crucial break of serve in the fourth game helped her pave the way for a decider.
Pegula did establish a lead in the third set but after their weather-enforced break Vondrousova came back to the court the far greater threat and, roared on by the crowd, saved a break point to avoid falling 5-1 behind before winning the final five games.
