Anisimova ends Czech three-peat hopes with victory over Noskova
After Marketa Vondrousova's and Barbora Krejcikova's unexpected triumphs at the All England Club over the past two years, 30th seed Noskova would have harboured hopes of following in their footsteps, especially as she was the last Czech standing among the eight who had started in the women's draw.
However, Anisimova wasted little time in exposing Noskova's lack of grasscourt craft as she broke the 30th seed for a 2-0 lead with some crisp hitting from the baseline and again in the eighth game to capture the first set with a scorching forehand winner.
Played under a closed Court One roof on a soggy day at Wimbledon, the contest failed to catch fire during the opening set as the majority of ticket holders in the 12,000-capacity arena had abandoned their seats following British hope Cameron Norrie's nerve-jangling 4-1/2 hour win over Nicolas Jarry.
The smattering of spectators who did stick around saw Noskova, who had won only one match at Wimbledon before this week, find her comfort zone in the floodlit arena in the second set as she broke for a 2-1 lead.
The 20-year-old missed her chance to level the match when she served at 5-4, with Anisimova saving a set point with a mis-hit service return winner en route to grabbing the break back to level at 5-5.
Noskova did not dwell on that near-miss and she broke again for a 6-5 lead before making sure her opponent did not get a look-in on her next set point, firing down an ace to seal it.
Anisimova looked to be on her way out when she fell behind 3-1 in the deciding set but, with her support team telling her to "keep on believing", she fought back to 3-3 before eventually ending the two-hour tussle on her second match point with a backhand winner.
Anisimova matched her best Wimbledon result by reaching the quarter-finals for the second time and will next meet Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
20 minutes ago
- The National
Cameron Norrie reaches Wimbledon quarters after fiery clash
Norrie is the last British player standing after taking down the towering Chilean qualifier 6-3 7-6 (4) 6-7 (7) 6-7 (5) 6-3 in four hours and 27 minutes. The 29-year-old led by two sets and had a match point in the third, but was pegged back to a fifth with Jarry firing down 46 aces among 103 winners. But Norrie, who did not drop serve all day, converted his second match point – more than two hours after his first before dropping to the ground in celebration. The conversation continued for some time (Jordan Pettitt/PA) Jarry had complained to the umpire about the time Norrie was taking between first and second serves, and at one point seemed to mimic his opponent by stopping and starting his service action. It backfired, though, as the South American sent his serve too long and double-faulted. When quizzed about Norrie's excessive bouncing of the ball, Jarry kept his cards close to his chest. He said: 'He's very competitive, so he knows how to make the most of the important games, the important part of the match.' Norrie said he was unaware the 6ft 7in giant from Santiago was making a point – or giving one away as it turned out. Norrie was flat out at the end of a gruelling match (Ben Whitley/PA) 'I thought he was maybe a little bit tight on that second serve,' he said. 'I actually didn't even notice he was upset with that. I want to settle before I hit my second serve. I don't want to rush into it and hit a quick double.' The pair had words at the handshake, and their conversation continued for some time under the umpire's chair. Norrie said: 'I think it's a big match for both of us, we really wanted to win. It was obviously frustrating for him to lose. 'I just told him 'man, that was unbelievable level. You competed so well, and I loved the way you kind of responded'. 'I think he just said I was being a little bit too vocal, but I was aiming directly at my team and pulling from the crowd. The atmosphere was so, so good. WHAT A WAY TO FINISH IT OFF! 🤩 Cameron Norrie is into the quarter-finals of #Wimbledon after being forced to a decider by Nicolas Jarry, but he gets it done by winning 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-7(7), 6-7(5), 6-3 🇬🇧 Just look at what it means 😁 — Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 6, 2025 'Honestly, nothing but credit to Nico for his performance. And to see him not only playing at that level, you know, seeing him enjoying his tennis and coming through quallies so easily and dropping guys, so I wish him all the best.' Jarry's charge through qualifying to the fourth round has been one of the stories of the Championships, his ranking having plummeted from 16 this time last year to 143 due to a health issue which has affected his vision and balance. But Norrie's achievement is quite something, too, for a player who had slipped from eight in the world to 91 after a tough couple of years, and who is now on the verge of a return to the top 50. He will have his work cut out to get much further, though, with two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz awaiting in the quarter-final.
The Herald Scotland
22 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
Cameron Norrie reaches Wimbledon quarters after fiery clash
The 29-year-old led by two sets and had a match point in the third, but was pegged back to a fifth with Jarry firing down 46 aces among 103 winners. But Norrie, who did not drop serve all day, converted his second match point – more than two hours after his first before dropping to the ground in celebration. The conversation continued for some time (Jordan Pettitt/PA) Jarry had complained to the umpire about the time Norrie was taking between first and second serves, and at one point seemed to mimic his opponent by stopping and starting his service action. It backfired, though, as the South American sent his serve too long and double-faulted. When quizzed about Norrie's excessive bouncing of the ball, Jarry kept his cards close to his chest. He said: 'He's very competitive, so he knows how to make the most of the important games, the important part of the match.' Norrie said he was unaware the 6ft 7in giant from Santiago was making a point – or giving one away as it turned out. Norrie was flat out at the end of a gruelling match (Ben Whitley/PA) 'I thought he was maybe a little bit tight on that second serve,' he said. 'I actually didn't even notice he was upset with that. I want to settle before I hit my second serve. I don't want to rush into it and hit a quick double.' The pair had words at the handshake, and their conversation continued for some time under the umpire's chair. Norrie said: 'I think it's a big match for both of us, we really wanted to win. It was obviously frustrating for him to lose. 'I just told him 'man, that was unbelievable level. You competed so well, and I loved the way you kind of responded'. 'I think he just said I was being a little bit too vocal, but I was aiming directly at my team and pulling from the crowd. The atmosphere was so, so good. WHAT A WAY TO FINISH IT OFF! 🤩 Cameron Norrie is into the quarter-finals of #Wimbledon after being forced to a decider by Nicolas Jarry, but he gets it done by winning 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-7(7), 6-7(5), 6-3 🇬🇧 Just look at what it means 😁 — Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 6, 2025 'Honestly, nothing but credit to Nico for his performance. And to see him not only playing at that level, you know, seeing him enjoying his tennis and coming through quallies so easily and dropping guys, so I wish him all the best.' Jarry's charge through qualifying to the fourth round has been one of the stories of the Championships, his ranking having plummeted from 16 this time last year to 143 due to a health issue which has affected his vision and balance. But Norrie's achievement is quite something, too, for a player who had slipped from eight in the world to 91 after a tough couple of years, and who is now on the verge of a return to the top 50. He will have his work cut out to get much further, though, with two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz awaiting in the quarter-final.
The Herald Scotland
22 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
Aryna Sabalenka's impressive grand slam streak goes on
There was not the same sense of jeopardy as there had been in Sabalenka's late-night duel with Emma Raducanu in the third round, with the top seed never behind but unable to shake off Mertens until the second-set tie-break. 'Roland Garros was also quite challenging,' said Sabalenka, who has now made at least the quarter-finals on her last 11 appearances at grand slams. 'I love these challenges. I think every time you go through these tough matches, you kind of bring your game to the next level, and it helps to improve your game as well. 'I feel like, with every match I'm playing here, I'm getting better and better mentally and also physically. So I love these tough challenges. I only hope to get better and better in each round.' The victory was her 46th of the season – way ahead of any other player, with only four women managing more wins in the whole of 2024. Aryna Sabalenka hits a backhand (Adam Davy/PA) Sabalenka is extending her lead at the top of the rankings with every success having missed Wimbledon last year through injury, but she is desperate to add a fourth grand slam title to her CV after heartbreaking losses in the finals of the Australian Open and French Open this year. She is yet to reach a Wimbledon final but it would be a huge shock if she falls before then this year, with numerous upsets on her side of the draw meaning she finds the unlikely figure of Laura Siegemund awaiting her next. The 37-year-old German had won only two singles matches here in her career prior to this year but made it through to the last eight with a 6-3 6-2 victory over Argentinian lucky loser Solana Sierra. Siegemund has an unusual game based on heavy slice and attacking the net, and she insisted she will not be fazed by facing Sabalenka. Laura Siegemund is a surprise quarter-finalist (John Walton/PA) She said: 'Of course I am surprised. If you would have told me I play quarter-finals here, I would have never believed it. 'On the other hand, it's a very simple math always in tennis. You have an opponent, either you find good solutions and you execute well, you go forward, or you don't, and you don't go forward. 'As I said after big wins before, I have this game and this maybe boldness to take out big names. I've always had that, just maybe because I don't care who is on the other side. In a positive, respectful way, I don't care.' It is proving to be a good tournament for the veterans, with 34-year-old Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova ending a nine-year wait to make a second quarter-final by seeing off Britain's Sonay Kartal 7-6 (3) 6-4. In the last eight, Pavlyuchenkova will take on 13th seed Amanda Anisimova, who reached this stage of Wimbledon for the second time with a 6-2 5-7 6-4 victory over young Czech Linda Noskova.
