Combining motherhood to 15-month-old daughter Bella with competing at the game’s highest level is, as Belinda Bencic explains it, nothing special.
“I’m just juggling like every mum does,” she smiled. “So props to the mums!”
But not every mother – or even every player – has secured a place in the last eight in a singles draw at Wimbledon, as 28-year-old Bencic did with her 7-6(4), 6-4 victory over No.18 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova on Monday.
It marks a first appearance in a Wimbledon quarter-final for Bencic, who reached the last 16 in three of her eight previous All England Club campaigns.
“I always got stuck in the fourth round,” the Swiss lamented. “So it was so important for me today to be able to break through to the quarter-final ... it’s crazy, it’s really a dream come true.”
World No.35 Bencic was made to work against Alexandrova, who saved five match points in the penultimate game. Regaining her authority with a trio of forehand winners in the final game, Bencic finally completed her victory in just under two hours.
It was a turnaround from the pair’s last encounter, with Alexandrova limiting Bencic to just three games in the Bad Homburg first round last month.
“I think I tried to be more brave,” she explained of the turnaround. “Of course, I had a few weeks of good practice and some matches under my belt so I’m really happy this turned out better than the last time I played her. I think she’s such a tough opponent.”
In setting a quarter-final with Mirra Andreeva, Bencic added to a long affinity for the grass court Grand Slam. Having grown up watching The Championships, she was crowned Wimbledon girls’ champion in 2013.
“I always felt like I’m putting almost too much pressure on myself because I love to be here so much,” Bencic said. “I really want to do so well here and for me it’s the best tournament in the world and I’m so happy to be here and keep going and have another chance.”
Samsonova steps up
Liudmila Samsonova will contest a first Grand Slam quarter-final after a 7-5, 7-5 victory over Jessica Bouzas Maneiro on No.2 Court.
It follows wins this Fortnight over Maya Joint, Yuliia Starodubtseva and Daria Kasatkina, with Samsonova yet to drop a set in her career-best campaign. “I’m trying to keep this momentum,” the No.19 seed said.
The 26-year-old is building on her status as a grass court performer; Samsonova claimed two of her five career singles titles (2021 Berlin and 2024 ‘s-Hertogenbosch) on the surface.
Best of Brits
As rising stars or established performers, British players provided local fans with
much to cheer about at the All England Club on Monday.
Hannah Klugman, the No.2 seed in the girls’ draw, showed the spirit that took her to the recent Roland-Garros girls’ final with a 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Anastasija Cvetkovic of Serbia. Klugman is joined in the third round by Welsh teenager Mimi Xu, who earlier made her debut in the ladies’ singles draw, as well as wild card recipient Ruby Cooling.
No.1 seed Emerson Jones and fellow Australian teenager Tahlia Kokkinikis were among other girls to advance the third round.
There are also Britons thriving in the gentlemen’s doubles. Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool advanced to the quarter-finals with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Guido Andreozzi and Marcelo Demoliner.
All-British duo Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski, the No.6 seeds, also progressed to the final eight with a 6-1, 6-7(7), 7-6(7) win over Argentine pair Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni.
They’ll meet the Finnish-British pairing of Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten – the No.2 seeds and defending champions – in the quarter-finals after Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Jordan Thompson withdrew from the tournament.
Salisbury later claimed a stunning win in the mixed doubles with Brazilian partner Luisa Stefani, beating defending champions Su-Wei Hsieh and Jan Zielinksi to reach the semi-finals.
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