Elina Svitolina continues dream run at Wimbledon after knocking out top seed Iga Swiatek

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Elina Svitolina continued her amazing run at Wimbledon when she knocked out top seed Iga Swiatek on her way to the semi-finals. </p>

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The unseeded Ukrainian, who only gave birth to her daughter Skai nine months ago, ousted top seed Swiatek with a dramatic 7-5 6-7 (5) 6-2 victory on Centre Court. </p>

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Swiatek, just as she had in her previous match against Belinda Bencic, came from a set down to draw level and seemed to have snatched the momentum. </p>

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But with Jeremy Clarkson watching from the crowd, Svitolina found top gear just when she needed it to secure a famous victory. </p>

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"I don't know what is happening right now, it's really unbelievable," Svitolina, also a semi-finalist here in 2019, said. </p>

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"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." </p>

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Swiatek looked dialled in from the start this time, breaking the Svitolina serve in the opening game. </p>

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But as she served for the set, the 22-year-old from Warsaw gifted Svitolina a break back to love with an uncharacteristically sloppy game, topped off with a double-fault. </p>

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Swiatek was rattled and Svitolina began finding her range, punishing a second serve to bring up two set points and edging in front when Swiatek's backhand floated long. </p>

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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. </p>

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However, nerves started to kick in when, at 40-0, Svitolina missed the simplest of volleys at the net and then double-faulted, allowing Swiatek to break. </p>

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Swiatek then got a dose of the jitters herself, a double-fault giving Svitolina two break points and a long forehand levelling the set at 3-3. </p>

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Svitolina dug out a second ace of the match to go 4-1 ahead in the tie-break but Swiatek reeled her back in with a couple of rasping forehands which clipped the line and an exquisite backhand winner. </p>

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But Svitolina came again, breaking the reigning French and US Open champion twice to lead 4-1 in the decider. </p>

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Two more aces made it 5-1 and despite some late resistance from the Pole Svitolina came through, covering her mouth with her hand in utter shock when Swiatek hit the net on match point. </p>

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

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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. </p>

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"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." </p>

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<p>The article <a href="https://www.planetsport.com/tennis/news/elina-svitolina-continues-dream-run-wimbledon-after-knocking-top-seed-iga-swiatek">Elina Svitolina continues dream run at Wimbledon after knocking out top seed Iga Swiatek </a> appeared first on Planetsport.com.</p>