Wimbledon 2023: Iga Swiatek survives huge scare to beat Belinda Bencic in thriller and advance to quarter-finals

World No. 1 Iga Swiatek survived an almighty scare to beat Belinda Bencic 6-7 7-6(2) 6-3 in a thriller and advance to the quarter-finals of Wimbledon.

One set down and forced to defend two match points, Swiatek displayed the characteristics of a true champion to emerge victorious and seal her place in the last-eight, representing the Polish star’s best ever performance at SW19.

She will meet Elina Svitolina in the next round.

“It wasn’t easy. She had match points and I don’t know I even came back from a match point down in my career,” reflected Swiatek.

“I feel I needed the win to believe in myself on this surface.

“I had my chances in the first set, it wasn’t easy to get past that. I wanted to be solid and I’m happy I was really disciplined.”

“At a point like that you feel you gave your best, but you are still match points down. You are playing a bit easier. She’s leading anyway so you have nothing to lose. You’re already in a pretty bad position, so I just wanted to play and I guess it worked.”

Swiatek started fast on Centre Court, holding in the first game before bringing up 0-40 on a shell-shocked Bencic in the very next.

However, somehow the Swiss emerged unscathed, saving those three break points with a mixture of calm and no little skill.

Swiatek had one further chance to break but spurned that too, and then at 5-4 ahead, forged two more break – and set – points, but again was unable to convert.

That triggered some frustration for the Pole, gesturing to her box as she tried to unpick the stubborn lock that was the Bencic serve.

The pair couldn’t be separated and the set moved to a tie-break, whereupon Bencic stunned those inside Centre Court by racing into a 6-1 lead, and five set points.

Two of them went begging thanks to some good Swiatek serving… and then another as the world No. 1 threatened a remarkable turnaround.

But Bencic snuffed that out as a return went long from Swiatek, and it was a one-set lead to the Swiss with a massive upset brewing.

Off went Swiatek to the locker room – with notebook in hand – as she tried to concoct a way back into the match.

And that she did straightaway in set two, finally breaking the Bencic serve as she strode into a 3-2 lead.

But as she served for 4-2, she was broken back by a resurgent Bencic, and the Swiss moved to 5-4 on serve to stand a game away from the quarter-finals.

Swiatek faced two match points at 5-6 down, but saved those to force another tie-break, which promised to be compelling whichever way it went.

The Pole conceded the first mini-break to look in trouble, but from 2-1 down she took the next six points to win it 7-2, and force a third-set decider.

If Bencic was disheartened she didn’t show it as she held to love for the first time at 1-1.

The match seemed to turn in Swiatek’s favour when she got the break to lead the third set 3-1 following a double-fault by her opponent, and she held serve to edge closer to victory.

The Swiss held serve comfortably and extended the match to 5-3, but she was powerless to stop Swiatek, who had finally got into her groove and sealed the win after rallying back from 0-30 down.

“My love [of the grass surface] is getting bigger and hopefully I am going to have as many days as possible on this surface,” continued Swiatek.

“This is my best year on grass and the hard work is paying off.”

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