Mirra Andreeva said she had “completely forgotten the score” after not realising she had beaten Emma Navarro to reach the quarter-finals of Wimbledon for the first time.
Andreeva had three match points on the Navarro serve and converted the first, with a netted shot from Navarro confirming a 6-2 6-3 win for the Russian.
American Navarro approached the net to congratulate her opponent and the Centre Court crowd stood to applaud – but Andreeva was at the back of court, preparing to face serve, before it clicked that she had won.
“I kept telling myself that I am facing break point and that I’m down in the score to help me stay focused,” Andreeva said afterwards.
“But in the end I completely forgot the score.
“I am glad that I did it because I would have been three times more nervous on a match point.”
Andreeva has been tipped as a future Grand Slam champion, having won two WTA 1000 titles – the tier of tournaments below the majors – and climbing to a career-high ranking of sixth in the world this year.
She has yet to drop a set at Wimbledon and was dominant against Navarro, holding strong in the rallies and dictating from the baseline.
Andreeva’s coach, Conchita Martinez, won Wimbledon as a player in 1994 and was in Garbine Muguruza’s corner when she triumphed in 2017.
However, they will reverse their respective roles this week when Andreeva coaches Martinez in the legends doubles event at SW19.
“I’m going to get my revenge finally,” Andreeva joked.
“I’m already thinking about a poster I will make. I think that’s my time to get back at her.”
Andreeva will face Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic for a place in a first Wimbledon semi-final.
Swiatek maintains charge for maiden Wimbledon title
Former world number one Iga Swiatek progressed to her fourth consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final with a 6-4 6-1 victory against Denmark’s Clara Tauson, who appeared to be struggling with sickness.
Eighth seed Swiatek has been impressive on grass this year and that continued with this dominant win that sets up a match with world number 19 Liudmila Samsonova for a place in the semi-finals.
“I just tried to be ready for anything,” said Swiatek.
“This year I feel I can just play my game and hopefully it will last as long as possible.”
Both players traded breaks of serve early in the first set before Swiatek got the crucial advantage at 5-4, a double fault by Tauson sealing it for her opponent.
Tauson then took a medical timeout, appearing to indicate an issue with her throat, but was soon able to continue.
But while there had not been much between the pair in the first set, that changed in the second as Swiatek lost just one game on her way to an ultimately comfortable victory.
Samsonova, who progressed after beating Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 7-5 6-4, has been in strong form at Wimbledon so far, having lost just 13 games in her previous three matches.
She was given a sterner test by Bouzas Maneiro, but sealed victory in one hour and 43 minutes to reach a first Grand Slam quarter-final.
Emotional Bencic into first Wimbledon quarter-final
An emotional Bencic was in tears after reaching a maiden Wimbledon quarter-final after beating Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 earlier on Monday.
Bencic had been thrashed 6-1 6-2 by her Russian opponent just two weeks ago at the Bad Homburg Open, but she held her nerve in the high-pressure moments in their fourth-round meeting at SW19.
When victory was confirmed after 18th seed Alexandrova sent a forehand long, Bencic held her hands in the air before wiping back tears.
“I always got stuck in the fourth round so it was important for me to break through to the quarter-final,” said the former world number four.
“It was crazy stress out there but I was so happy to break her in the end. The atmosphere was unbelievable.
“I tried to be more brave. I had a few weeks of good practice and matches under my belt.”
Bencic has been in good form since becoming a mother last year, winning the Abu Dhabi Open in February, just 10 months after giving birth.
“It has been really amazing,” she said of travelling to tournaments with her child. “I am really proud of myself and the whole team. I am really enjoying it.
“It is amazing to share the memories as a family. I feel like as a family I am taking more pictures!”-BBC
