By Toby Davis
LONDON (Reuters) – World number one Iga Swiatek lived to fight another day after clawing her way back from a set down and saving two match points before beating Olympic champion Belinda Bencic 6-7(4) 7-6(2) 6-3 on Sunday to reach her first Wimbledon quarter-final.
The 14th-seeded Swiss proved a frustrating obstacle for Swiatek, with the four-time Grand Slam champion struggling to master her opponent for the majority of what proved an intriguing tussle on Centre Court.
As the evening gloom set in, Swiatek eventually got a handle on her opponent’s game, moving clear in the final set before wrapping up victory after more than three hours of compelling twists and turns.
Bencic had been stubborn in her resistance in the opening set, saving six break points before taking it on a tiebreak and then fighting back after falling behind in the second.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek saved two match points at 5-6 in the second set and then levelled the contest in another tiebreak.
Swiatek, who arrived at the All England Club having won her third French Open title last month, had never reached the last eight at Wimbledon in her previous three attempts and will next face either Victoria Azarenka or Elina Svitolina.
(Reporting by Toby Davis; Editing by Ken Ferris)
