Iga Swiatek Reaches Wimbledon Semifinals, Faces Belinda Bencic Next

WIMBLEDON, England — Iga Swiatek advanced to the Wimbledon semifinals for the first time with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over Liudmila Samsonova on Wednesday. The eighth-seeded Polish player showed remarkable resilience as the match shifted in intensity.

Swiatek won all ten of her first serve points in the opening set and even led 3-0 in the second. However, the match took a turn when Samsonova rallied to level the second set at 5-5. Swiatek, fueled by determination, held serve and then broke to seal her victory. After the match, an elated Swiatek stated, “Even though I’m in the middle of the tournament, I already got goosebumps after this win. I’m super happy and super proud of myself.”

For Swiatek, the Wimbledon experience has been transformative, marking her career-best run on grass despite previous struggles. She reflected, “I feel like I really worked hard to progress here on this surface. I can just work with it and work with myself.”

Before her Wimbledon journey, Swiatek was the runner-up in Bad Homburg, Germany, her first final on grass. She has turned her game around since losing early at the French Open, showcasing her adaptability on different surfaces.

Swiatek, who also won the US Open in 2022, is on the verge of making history by becoming the eighth woman to win Grand Slam titles on hard court, clay, and grass. Standing in her way in the semifinals is Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic, who also reached this stage for the first time.

Bencic, who recently returned to competitive tennis after giving birth to her daughter in April 2024, defeated Mirra Andreeva in her quarterfinal match. Bencic said after her win, “It’s crazy, it’s unbelievable, it’s a dream come true.”

The anticipated match-up between Swiatek and Bencic promises to be a thrilling encounter as both players aim for their first Wimbledon final.