Bencic Breaks Wimbledon Fourth-Round Barrier Reaching Quarterfinals

Swiss tennis player Belinda Bencic reached her first Wimbledon quarter-final after nine attempts by defeating 18th-seeded Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-6(4), 6-4. The match was a hard-fought contest lasting just under two hours, where Bencic had to save six match points before securing the win. This victory was particularly emotional for Bencic, who broke through the fourth-round barrier 15 months after giving birth to her daughter, and she credited increased courage and match experience for her success. Despite being unseeded and ranked 35th, Bencic showed strong form throughout the tournament, having previously won tough matches, including a nearly three-hour battle against Elisabetta Cocciaretto to reach the fourth round. Alexandrova, who had beaten Bencic decisively just weeks earlier, was unable to replicate that performance at Wimbledon, and both players have a competitive head-to-head record. Bencic will next face the winner of the match between Mirra Andreeva and Emma Navarro for a place in the semi-finals.