After years of disappointment, Poland’s Iga Swiatek is a win away from a cathartic Wimbledon singles championship.
On Thursday, Swiatek, the No. 4 participant on the WTA Tour, superior to her first Wimbledon ultimate with a 6-2, 6-0 win over 2020 Olympic gold medalist Belinda Bencic.
Beforehand, the five-time main champion was a two-time pre-Wimbledon favourite however didn’t dwell as much as these lofty expectations every time.
Swiatek was a heavy favorite in 2022, coming into the event at +130 to clinch her first Rosewater Dish. Ons Jabeur (+800) ranked second. She was also the favorite ahead of the 2023 Wimbledon at +250, barely forward of Elena Rybakina (+450). Swiatek misplaced to unseeded Alize Cornet within the third spherical of the 2022 Wimbledon, whereas dropping within the quarterfinals the next yr to wild-card Elina Svitolina.
She entered the 2024 tournament second (+350) and this year’s event third (+900).
Swiatek performs American Amanda Anisimova within the ultimate. It is going to be their first profession match. Anisimova was +3200 to win Wimbledon earlier than the primary spherical started, and she or he might be one other long-shot winner, albeit not almost so long as the previous two champions, Marketa Vondrousova (+10000) in 2023 and Barbora Krejcikova (+12500) in 2024.
Swiatek is 5-0 in her grand slam finals profession, solely dropping one set in 5 matches (2023 French Open).
With a win on Saturday, Swiatek will transfer an Australian Open title away from the profession grand slam. Maria Sharapova was the newest lady to perform the feat on the 2012 French Open.
Wimbledon has traditionally been Swiatek’s worst main. Earlier than 2025, Swiatek was 11-5 all-time on the All England Membership. Her .688 win share was her worst within the 4 tennis grand slam tournaments, and she or he had by no means superior previous the quarters. Final yr, she misplaced to unseeded Yulia Putintseva within the third spherical.
Swiatek, 24, has already achieved so much in her younger profession, however successful Wimbledon has proved elusive. Maybe not for for much longer.
