Svitolina advances to the semifinals at Wimbledon as Djokovic sets his sights on a new milestone.

In a surprising turn of events at Wimbledon, Elina Svitolina, ranked 76th in the world, defeated the top-ranked Iga Swiatek to secure a spot in the semi-finals. Despite being a break down in both the first two sets, Svitolina fought back to win 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2 against the reigning US Open and French Open champion. Svitolina, who recently returned to the tour after giving birth last October, will now face Marketa Vondrousova from the Czech Republic in the quest for a place in the championship match.

Vondrousova, who is unseeded, also advanced to the semi-finals by defeating the fourth-ranked Jessica Pegula 6-4, 2-6, 6-4. Svitolina’s journey to the semi-finals has been remarkable. Playing on a wild card, she defeated Grand Slam title winners Venus Williams, Sofia Kenin, Victoria Azarenka, and now Swiatek. Reflecting on her unexpected success, Svitolina expressed her intention to savor the moment and enjoy a beer.

The match between Svitolina and Swiatek could have been decided in straight sets, but Swiatek mounted a comeback in the second-set tiebreaker. However, Svitolina maintained her composure and secured a double break in the decisive set. Swiatek, playing in her first quarter-final at Wimbledon, praised Svitolina and expressed her support for her opponent’s title aspirations.

Svitolina’s victory has set the stage for a potentially politically charged final against Belarusian world number two Aryna Sabalenka, as Belarus is a key ally of Russia in the war in Ukraine. Meanwhile, on Court One, Vondrousova overcame a deficit against Pegula when the roof was closed, securing her place in the semi-finals.

In the men’s quarter-finals, Novak Djokovic, aiming for a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon title and 24th Grand Slam, will compete in his 400th major match against Andrey Rublev. Djokovic has a winning record against Rublev and is wary of his opponent’s powerful forehand. Rublev is one of four Russian and Belarusian players to reach the quarter-finals, a significant achievement for these nations after being banned from last year’s tournament due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The winner of the Djokovic-Rublev quarter-final will face either Jannik Sinner or Roman Safiullin. Sinner, who reached the same stage in 2022 but lost to Djokovic, possesses a formidable serve. Safiullin, on the other hand, had never progressed past the second round in a Grand Slam before but defeated two former semi-finalists on his way to the quarter-finals.