Svitolina beat World No. 1 Iga Swiatek, grabs $759,436 for Wimbledon semifinals slot

Elina Svitolina secured one of the most significant upsets of Wimbledon 2023, eliminating top-ranked Iga Swiatek in three sets to advance to the semifinals Tuesday in London.

Svitolina, who made two previous major semifinal appearances, has yet to advance to the finale of a Grand Slam. The Ukrainian will again attempt that feat against No. 42 Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic on Thursday at the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club.

“It’s really unbelievable,” Svitolina said on the ESPN broadcast. “I’m really happy I have this chance to play here again. I played a great match, in a great atmosphere. It was a really unbelievable feeling for me.”

Svitolina, the No. 76 player in the WTA Tour singles rankings, totaled five aces, 25 winners and broke Swiatek’s serve six times in her 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-2 quarterfinal victory. She totaled 25 unforced errors, compared to Swiatek’s 41.

Swiatek totaled three aces, 37 winners and converted 3 of 5 break point opportunities in the 2-hour, 51-minute match on Centre Court.

“I was fighting,” Svitolina said. “It was not easy today to play against Iga. She is the world No. 1 and always fighting. Today was an unbelievable match and I’m really happy I could win this one.”

No. 4 Jessica Pegula also departed from the tournament with an upset loss on Day 9. Vondrousova beat the American 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 in a 1-hour, 55-minute match on court No. 1.

Vondrousova fired seven aces and 24 winners. She converted 5 of 12 break point opportunties. Pegula did not log an ace and totaled 16 winners. She converted 5 of 11 break point chances.

On the men’s circuit, No. 8 Jannik Sinner of Italy beat No. 92 Roman Safiullin of Russia 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 to advance to the semifinals. Sinner edged Safiullin in 14-8 in aces, 36-27 in winners and 20-32 in unforced errors. He also converted 6 of 12 break point opportunities, compared to a 2 of 5 rate for Safiullin.

No. 2 Novak Djokovic of Serbia was the top men’s player in action Tuesday on the singles circuit. He dropped his first set 4-6 to No. 7 Andrey Rublev of Russia, but won the next three sets 6-1, 6-4, 6-4. He will meet Sinner in the semifinals.

No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain will face No. 6 Holger Rune of Denmark in the final men’s quarterfinal Wednesday at Wimbledon. No. 3 Daniil Medvedev of Russia will face No. 43 Chris Eubanks of the United States in the other men’s quarterfinal on Day 10.

No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus will meet No. 25 Madison Keys of the United States in the first women’s quarterfinal Tuesday in London. No. 3 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan will face No. 6 Ons Jabeur of Tunisia in the other quarterfinal, to determine the final women’s singles semifinalist.