LONDON: New mum Elina Svitolina shocked world number one Iga Swiatek to reach the last four at Wimbledon on Tuesday, striking an emotional blow for Ukraine, as Novak Djokovic targeted a record-equalling 46th major semifinal.
World number 76 Svitolina, who gave birth last October and only returned to the tour in April, came through 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2 despite being a break down in both of the first two sets against the reigning US Open and French Open champion.
Svitolina, also a semifinalist in 2019, will take on Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic for a place in Saturday’s championship match.
Unseeded Vondrousova made the semifinals by seeing off fourth-ranked Jessica Pegula 6-4, 2-6, 6-4. Svitolina, playing on a wild card, has reached the last four by seeing off a quartet of Grand Slam title winners in Venus Williams, Sofia Kenin, Victoria Azarenka, in a stormy last-16 clash, and now Swiatek.