Bencic knocks out Andreeva to reach maiden Wimbledon semis
London
Belinda Bencic ended the teenage dreams of Mirra Andreeva to reach her first Wimbledon semi-final.
Andreeva, 18, was bidding to become the youngest semi-finalist at the All England Club since Maria Sharapova won the title 21 years ago but Bencic edged a cat-and-mouse battle 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-2).
It has been a remarkable comeback for the Swiss following the birth of daughter Bella in April last year, and she will now face Iga Swiatek in just the second grand slam semi-final of her career.
Bencic, the first Swiss woman to make it this far since Martina Hingis in 1998, beamed after putting away the final volley, saying: 'It's crazy, it's unbelievable, it's a dream come true. I tried not to think about it at the match point. I'm speechless. So happy.
'I'm very proud. I didn't say that to myself much in my career but after having Bella I really say that to myself every day. We are just enjoying life on tour. It's been beautiful to create these memories together.'
Her first slam semi-final came six years ago at the US Open, which had been by a distance her best major tournament, although Bencic achieved the high point of her career in 2021 by winning Olympic singles gold.
She returned from her maternity break at the end of October by playing lower-tier events and it was a strategy that worked, with the 28-year-old, who travels with Bella and fitness trainer husband Martin Hromkovic in tow, finding her feet immediately back on the WTA Tour this year.
The pair had a royal audience, with Queen Camilla sat in the Royal Box, and this was an absorbing contest from the start, with very little to choose between the two.
Bencic and Andreeva are two of the best tacticians in the women's game, and they probed each other looking for an advantage, with neither giving up anything until the first-set tie-break, when the Swiss was the steadier.
Bencic looked poised to clinch victory when she secured the first break of serve in the contest in the ninth game of the second set to leave herself serving for the match.
Andreeva looked to coach Conchita Martinez, back in her familiar role a day after her young charge had played cheerleader during an invitation doubles match, and with her back against the wall she managed to hit straight back.
Bencic was struggling with a painful toenail but, having sent the trainer away at 5-4, she battled her way into a tie-break and again showed her experience to move into the last four.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Qatar Tribune
44 minutes ago
- Qatar Tribune
Jonathan Milan sprints to first stage win
Jonathan Milan claimed his first career Tour de France stage win as he beat Wout van Aert and Kaden Groves in an uphill sprint in Laval. Milan, 24, had lost his lead-out men on the technical finish to the 171.4km stage from Saint-Meen-le-Grand but surfed the wheels before holding off the late charge of Van Aert. The Italian won in the green jersey he was wearing on behalf of overall leader Tadej Pogacar, but the victory means he will wear it on Sunday by rights as he moved to the top of the points classification. Pogacar enjoyed a relatively easy day in yellow, content to sit further down in the peloton, as the sprinters had only their third opportunity of the Tour and first since Monday - albeit on a slight uphill drag to the line that made it one for the more powerful among them. 'I don't still understand what we did,' said Milan, remarkably the first Italian stage winner since Vincenzo Nibali in 2019. 'To come with some expectations, some dreams, but then to bring them home is two different things, but I was confident with the team. We were really close in the last (sprint), not the first stage, but on the third one we were pretty close, we know we just went too early, but today we were really focused. I really believed in my guys, they did an amazing job.'(PA Media/DPA)
Qatar Tribune
an hour ago
- Qatar Tribune
Club World Cup a huge, huge success, says Infantino
PA Media/DPA New York FIFA president Gianni Infantino has declared the Club World Cup a huge financial success on Saturday but insisted lessons will be learned for next year's international equivalent. Infantino has revealed the world governing body's revamped tournament - staged in the United States over the past month as a 32-team event for the first time - has generated more than $2 billion in revenue. The competition concludes in New York on Sunday with a final between Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and Premier League side Chelsea which will be attended by US President Donald Trump. Infantino told media at an event in Trump Tower: 'The golden era of global club football has started. We can say definitely this FIFA Club World Cup has been a huge, huge, huge success. 'Of course, there are a lot of positives, some negatives. We respect everyone's opinion. It has been successful. 'We heard financially it would not work but I can say we generated over $2 billion in revenues with this competition. 'We earned on average $33 million per match. There is no other cup competition in the world that comes close to $33 million per match. 'It is already the most successful club competition in the world.' Despite that, the tournament has attracted considerable criticism over issues including its scheduling in the calendar, poor attendances, venue choices, kick-off times, standard of pitches and the weather. The elements have been a recurring issue with a number of matches played in extreme heat during the hottest parts of the day and others hit with long delays due to thunderstorms. This has raised concerns, most notably about player welfare, with the US also one of the co-hosts of next year's World Cup along with Canada and Mexico. Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez even said this week conditions during his side's semi-final against Fluminense on Tuesday, when the temperature was 35C, were 'very dangerous'. Infantino says these issues have been noted and better use will be made in 2026 of indoor, air-conditioned venues in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Vancouver. He added: 'Of course, the heat is definitely an issue. It's an issue around the world. 'I remember it was the same in the Olympics in Paris and in other football games. 'But we have stadiums in America that are covered and one in Canada in Vancouver and we will definitely use these stadiums more during the day.' Infantino responded to criticism over poor attendances at some matches by saying 2.5 million tickets were sold, equating to an average of 40,000 per match. He said: 'There is no league in the world with that number, except the Premier League which, of course, has home teams.' Infantino also thanked President Trump for his endorsement of the tournament and decision to attend the final. 'He loves the game,' he said. 'You cannot organise a competition like this without the full support of the Government. 'Great thanks to President Trump - he has been fantastic and he is attending the final tomorrow as well.'
Qatar Tribune
an hour ago
- Qatar Tribune
History-makers Cash and Glasspool make plans for Wimbledon windfall
PA Media/DPA London Lloyd Glasspool has a wedding to pay for and Julian Cash is eyeing a new motorbike after the British duo made Wimbledon history by winning the men's doubles title. Cash, 28, and 31-year-old Glasspool beat Australian Rinky Hijikata and David Pel of the Netherlands 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) in the final on Centre Court. In doing so they became the first all-British pairing to win the title since Pat Hughes and Raymond Tuckey lifted the trophy in 1936. The pair will split prize money of £680,000 ($920,000) between them, with Glasspool set to tie the knot with fiancee Sophia Maslin before next year's Championships. On court Glasspool thanked his future wife for 'lying in bed', and afterwards he explained: 'I want to make sure I've had my sleep. 'She's obviously got businesses to run, so she can't be waking up at 9.30am on Mondays or Tuesdays. 'So yeah, I'm appreciative that she will just stay in bed and kind of work quietly and let me sleep.' Cash, meanwhile, is weighing up a new set of wheels having been using his old bike to get to Wimbledon as well as Queen's and Eastbourne, where the duo also won titles. 'I've just been looking,' he said. 'I have one. I've had it for a long time, and I've been using it to get to Queen's, Eastbourne, and here a little bit. 'It's been good for the traffic, so I might have a look at that.'
