London, July 9 (UNI) Top seed Iga Swiatek took another significant step in her evolving grass-court journey today powering past Liudmila Samsonova 6-2, 7-5 to enter her maiden Wimbledon semifinal, six years after she first tasted Grand Slam glory as a junior champion at the All England Club.
The 23-year-old Polish star, long dominant on clay, showed renewed confidence on the lawns of Wimbledon, blending precision with power as she outplayed the 21st seed from Russia in just under 90 minutes on Centre Court. The win extended Swiatek’s winning streak to 11 matches, and further solidified her credentials as a complete all-surface champion.
Speaking ahead of the tournament, Swiatek revisited her 2018 junior triumph at Wimbledon, which she had once described as “the highlight of my career back then.” However, the transition from junior success to professional stability wasn’t as magical as she had imagined.
Since her junior Wimbledon title, Swiatek has climbed steadily, collecting four French Open titles and one US Open crown, and reaching the WTA World No.1 ranking in 2022. Wimbledon, however, remained a puzzle she had yet to solve.
Today’s win, her third over Samsonova in as many meetings, showcased Swiatek’s evolution. She broke twice in the first set and staved off a spirited fightback from the Russian in the second, closing the match with her characteristic composure under pressure.
Swiatek’s grass-court struggles have been well-documented in the past, but this year’s campaign has highlighted her improving footwork and tactical adaptation on the surface. After surviving a third-round scare against Yulia Putintseva last season, the Pole has rebounded with clinical straight-sets victories in the last two rounds.
Awaiting her in the semifinal is either 17-year-old Russian sensation and No.7 seed Mirra Andreeva or 2021 Olympic champion Belinda Bencic of Switzerland. Both are considered dangerous opponents, but Swiatek will enter the match as the favourite, driven by the hunger to claim the only Grand Slam missing from her resume.
If Swiatek can continue her march through the draw, she could become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2015 to hold both the Roland-Garros and Wimbledon titles in the same year.
But for now, she remains grounded.
