Iga Swiatek saved two match points against Belinda Bencic and then cleaned up her game to earn a 6-7 (4), 7-6 (2), 6-3 win into the Wimbledon quarter-finals on Sunday.
The match was the first in the entire Swiatek career which has gone to more than one tiebreaker; victory puts the four-time Grand Slam champion into the SW19 quarter-finals for the first time.
Swiss Olympic champion Bencic earned her match points in the 12th game of the second set but was out-hit in the crucial moments by the struggling top seed.
“You have nothing to lose, you can play fearlessly,” Swiatek said. “I just wanted to play, I didn’t care…”
Swiatek then lifted her level in the concluding set.
She revved up her game in the deciding set, breaking for 3-1 and taking control to run out the winner with a forehand winner.after nearly three hours.
Bencic ran out of linecall challenges and was unable to query an “out” call on her ball which was shown to have been good.
Swiatek won her third match from four played against Bencic.
“It was not easy obviously,” the winner said. “I don’t know if I’ve ever come back from match points down.
“But I’m happy because I needed this match to believe in myself more on grass.
“I was playing without regrets, I had chances in the first set also. I just wanted to be solid and in the end I got the win.”
Swiatek will bid to go further when she next plays
Elina Svitolina continued her charge through the field as the Ukrainian beat two-time Grand Slam winner Victoria Azarenka in a 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (11-9) fightback which ended with an ace after two and three-quarter hours.
Jessica Pegula advanced to the last eight for the first time at the All England Club, plugging a hole in her resume after achieving quarter-finals at the other three majors.
The third seed defeated Lesia Tsurenko 6-1, 6-3, with the 34-year-old Ukrainian saving two match points before Pegula advanced on a correct linecall challenge on a third winning chance.
The victory in 75 minutes marked the eighth quarter-final this season for Pegula, whose billionaire father owns the NFL Buffalo Bills.
Pegula has lost just 13 games in three matches so far during the fortnight.
She is the fifth American woman to reach the quarters at all four Slams in the last quarter-century after the Williams sisters, Madison Keys and Sloane Stephens.
“To say that I’ve done that at all four (majors) is something I’ve wanted
to say,” Pegula said. ” Obviously I hope I can do more than that.
“But it’s pretty cool to say that I’ve done that (quarters) at
every Slam.
“I feel (at) Wimbledon (it) is really special to make the final eight as
well. It was definitely a goal. And I’m really happy I get to mark that off.
Pegula next plays 2019 Roland Garros finalist Markete Vondrousava, winner of an all-Czech showdown over Marie Bouzkova 2-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Qualifier MIrra Andreeva continued her fairytale run as she played and won her sixth career match on grass, knocking out Anastasia Potapova 62, 7-5 in 95 minutes in the third round .
The 16-year-old who lives and trains in Cannes in the south of France, held her never and kept her emotions bottled up in victory.
But as a neophyte who had not set foot on a grass court until qualifying rounds less than a fortnight ago, her success is somewhat unexpected.
“It was a tough match, but I’m happy that I managed to win it,” the teenager said. “Now I’m in the round of 16.
“Today somebody was screaming my name, really supporting me. I just tried to use that for myself.
“I feel everyone is encouraging for me, everyone is cheering for me, it really helps me a lot.”
Andreeva will play for a spot in the quarter-finals when she next faces 2017 US Open finalist Madison Keys.
She said that so far her lack of grass court experience has not been a bother.
“When I played my first match in quallies, I just didn’t have any expectations because it was my first match on grass.
“I just tried to give it all on the court.
“Since that first match, I actually found the right rhythm. Now it’s working pretty good.”
