Wimbledon: Iga Swiatek on career-best run after setting up semi-final date with Belinda Bencic | Tennis News

IGA Swiatek assured her Wimbledon career collection while she reached the semi-finals for the first time against the Tokyo Olympic champion Belinda Bencic.

The 24-year-old, quadruple champion of the French Open, swept Liudmila Samsonova 6-2 7-5 in the first court.

Swiatek will face the old Top Five Player Bencic, who missed all the Grands Chelems in 2024 to give birth to the Bella girl in April of last year, overcoming Mirra Andreeva 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-2).

Swiatek was never able to convincingly transfer his clay-haul to the lawns of the All England Club.

But after losing his crown of Roland Garros last month, the Polish star seems determined to finally open his lawn account.

“It’s great. Even if it’s the middle of the tournament, I had goosebumps after this victory,” she said.

“I really liked to play this year and I hope it will last as long as possible. This year, I think I can work with it.”

A convincing victory means the prospect of an attractive first final between Swiatek and the woman who replaced her as the world No. 1, Aryna Sabalenka, remains on the cards.

Samsonova, the 19th seeded that was inspired to pick up a tennis racket after watching compatriot Maria Sharapova playing on television, made his first appearance in a quarter -final of the Grand Chelem, and it showed.

She made 18 uns forked mistakes while Swiatek moved away with the first set and the double consecutive faults offer the eighth seeded at the start of the second.

Having lost seven consecutive games, the 26-year-old started to swing more freely and managed to revive Swiatek at 4-4.

However, Swiatek won two match points and converted the second with a winner of the forehand, fulfilling victory in an hour and 49 minutes.

Bencic through his first semi-finals of Wimbledon

Bencic won two tough shots to beat Andreeva’s seventh seeded and reach the semi-finals of Wimbledon for the first time.

Andreeva, 18, called on the youngest semi-finalist of the All England Club since Maria Sharapova won the title 21 years ago, but Bencic has ahead of a cat and mouse battle and she will now face Swiatek in the second semi-final of the Grand Chelem of her career.

Bencic, the first Swiss woman to go so far since Martina Hingis in 1998, radiated after putting the final flight, saying: “It’s crazy, it’s incredible, it’s a dream come true. I tried not to think about it at the match point. I am speechless. So happy.

“I’m very proud. I didn’t say that in my career, but after having had Bella, I really tell myself that every day. We just enjoy life on tour. It was wonderful to create these memories together.”

His first major semi-final occurred six years ago at the US Open, which had been remotely his best major tournament, although Bencic reached the culmination of his career in 2021 by winning Olympic gold in simple.

She returned from her maternity break at the end of October by playing lower level events and it was a strategy that worked, with the 28 -year -old, who travels with Bella and the fitness coach Martin Hromkovic in a trailer, finding her feet immediately on the WTA tour this year.

The couple had a royal audience, the queen was seated in the royal box, and it was an absorption competition from the start, with very little choice between the two.

Bencic and Andreeva are two of the best tacticians in the female game, and they were investigated in search of an advantage, without abandoning anything until the equality of the first set, while the Swiss were the most stable.

Bencic seemed ready to win when she obtained the first service break in the competition during the ninth game of the second set to be served for the match.

Andreeva turned to the training of Conchita Martinez, in her familiar role a day after her young charge played the cheerleader in a double invitation match, and with her back against the wall, she managed to hit directly.

Bencic had trouble with a painful tab but, after having sent the coach to 5-4, she fought in an equality break and again showed his experience to go to the last four.

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