Elina Svitolina's stunning Wimbledon run continues

Unseeded Ukrainian Elina Svitolina continues stunning Wimbledon run by beating top seed Iga Swiatek to reach the semi-finals in wake of handshake row and only months after giving birth

• Elina Svitolina has secured her place in the semi-finals defeating Iga Swiatek 
• Ukrainian ousted Swiatek in a dramatic 7-6 6-7 (5) 6-2 victory on Centre Court  

Elina Svitolina’s stunning Wimbledon run is continuing as she knocked out world number one Iga Swiatek to reach the semi-finals of the contest. 

The unseeded Ukrainian, who gave birth just nine months ago, ousted Swiatek from the top spot in a dramatic 7-5 6-7 (5) 6-2 victory on Centre Court. 

Swiatek came from a set down to draw level and seemed to have snatched the momentum, just as she had done previously in a match against Belinda Bencic, but Svitolina went onto secure the victory. 

It comes after Svitolina refused to shake hands with Belarus’ Victoria Azarenka, who she beat on Sunday, as per her policy to not shake the hands of any Russian or Belarusian opponent amid the war raging on in her homeland. 

The crowd booed on Sunday as Azarenka left the court and while Svitolina asked All England Tennis Club chief Sally Bolton for an announcement to be made to clarify her position, it was refused.  

‘We’ve no intention of doing that,’ Bolton said, when asked about the possibility of an announcement.

Elina Svitolina celebrates defeating defeating Iga Swiatek in the quarter-final, securing her place in the semi-finals 

The unseeded Ukrainian, who gave birth just nine months ago, ousted Swiatek from the top spot in a dramatic 7-5 6-7 (5) 6-2 victory on Centre Court

Elina Svitolina (right) hugs Iga Swiatek at the end of their match on Centre Court at Wimbledon

‘Historically in tennis the decision on how a player reacts at the end of a match is entirely a personal decision for them and I think we don’t really want to start mandating what happens.’ 

‘I think we have an incredibly knowledgeable audience at Wimbledon and I think in the most part they would understand what was going on. 

‘I wouldn’t want to speculate on what everybody in the crowd was thinking last night.

‘I would echo what Elina and Vika said. Having witnessed one of the most incredible matches on No 1 court to an absolutely rapt audience, we should be focusing on the tennis and the match we saw, not all of the other stuff that went on.’

Speaking of today’s win, Svitolina, who was also a semi-finalist at Wimbledon in 2019, said: ‘I don’t know what is happening right now, it’s really unbelievable.

‘I’m really, really happy that I got this chance to play here again. I was fighting, it was not easy. Iga is world number one and always fighting. It was an unbelievable match and I’m really happy I could win this one.’

Swiatek came from a set down to draw level and seemed to have snatched the momentum 

Svitolina, whose emotional win over Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in the fourth round was one of the matches of the tournament, added: ‘Iga is not only a great champion but an unbelievable person’

Elina Svitolina kisses the net during the quarter-final clash (Adam Davy/PA)

Swiatek reacts after loosing a game against Svitolina during their women’s singles quarter-finals tennis match

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Swiatek looked dialled in from the start of the match, breaking Svitolina’s serve in the opening game.

But as she served for the set, the 22-year-old from Warsaw gifted Svitolina a break back to love in a game that she topped off with a double-fault.

A slight delay as the roof was closed gave Swiatek a chance to regroup, but a hold to love at the start of the second set meant Svitolina had won 10 of the previous 12 points, giving her the chance to go on and win overall. 

Swiatek has been a huge supporter of the Ukrainian cause following the Russian invasion and wears a blue and yellow ribbon in her cap.

Svitolina, whose emotional win over Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in the fourth round was one of the matches of the tournament, added: ‘Iga is not only a great champion but an unbelievable person.

‘She was one of the first who really helped the Ukrainian people, she was a huge help. 

‘So for sure it’s not easy to play someone that you share a lot of good moments. Not easy for her either but I’m really proud I could win this one.’

Earlier this week, Azarenka claimed the Wimbledon crowd who booed her off the court following her match with Svitolina were ‘drunk on Pimms’, as Svitolina called her supporters ‘amazing’.

Azarenka received jeers from spectators as she began to leave following her fourth-round loss, prompting her to bang her fists together in a dismissive gesture. She hit out at the ‘unfair’ behaviour at a press conference after and accused fans of being drunk. 

But giving her own reaction, Svitolina said: ‘I heard a lot of Ukrainian people in the crowd so that was really special. The crowd was amazing, it was one of the best atmospheres that I ever played in.’ 

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