Czech Republic’s Maria Bouzkova has broken new ground at Wimbledon by reaching the quarter-finals on Sunday. 

Coming into the tournament, the 23-year-old has failed to win back-to-back matches in 12 Grand Slam appearances. However, the past week has seen her breakthrough with a surprise run to the quarter-finals. She secured a place in the last eight with a 7-5, 6-2, win over France’s Caroline Garcia. The player who defeated Emma Raducanu in the second round.

In her latest match, Bouzkova was by far the most consistent player on the court as she produced just four unforced errors against 13 winners. In comparison, Garcia’s tally was 25 against 24. She broke the Frenchwoman four times in the match en route to victory. 

“I don’t know how I got here,” said Bouzkova.
“Now we will celebrate with strawberries and cream. It’s one of our 100 routines at Wimbledon.”

Bouzkova’s run at Wimbledon has brought the Czech into the limelight for the first time. Although some may not be too familiar with the right-hander who plays with a two-handed backhand. Here are five things to know about the underdog. 

1. As a junior, she won the 2014 US Open title and reached the final of the Wimbledon doubles event that same year. 
   
2. Wimbledon is where Bouzkova won her first Grand Slam main draw match back in 2019 after defeating Mona Barthel in the first round. 
   
3. Prior to Garcia, she defeated Danielle Collins, Ann Li and Alison Riske-Amritraj this week. Collins was the sixth top 20 player she has defeated and second this year after Karolina Pliskova.
   
4. She was ranked as low as 97th in the world earlier this season but is currently up to 66. Her career-best is 46. 
   
5. Has reached three WTA finals in as many years in Guadalajara (2022), Melbourne 250 (2021) and Monterey (2020).
   
6. She has a win-loss record of 18-9 so far this season. Although prior to Wimbledon, she has not won any matches on the grass after losing in the first round of Eastbourne to Shelby Rogers. 

Bouzkova will play either second seed Ons Jabeur or Elise Mertens in the quarter-finals.

Iga Swiatek says she was ‘confused’ about her tactics after suffering a shock straight-sets loss in the third round of Wimbledon.

Swiatek, who was on a 37-match winning streak, managed to win only six games against Alize Cornet during what was an error-stricken performance. The Pole produced a staggering 33 unforced errors and only managed to win 30% of her second service points. It is the first time she has failed to reach the second week of a major since the 2020 US Open where she also lost in the third round.

“I know I didn’t play good tennis. I was pretty confused about my tactics. As a solid player, she used that pretty well. For sure, it wasn’t a good performance for me,” Swiatek told reporters on Saturday.
“The thing that I changed this season is I started being more and more aggressive. It was really comfortable for me to have the initiative and be proactive. But here (at Wimbledon) I couldn’t control the ball. So I needed to slow down a little bit

Despite recently dominating the sport when it comes to playing on hard courts, it is clear that the grass is an Achilles heel for the world No.1. Her match against Cornet was only the 11th she has ever played on the surface at Tour level. Coming into Wimbledon she played no build-up tournaments.

Admitting that she has found training on grass difficult, Swiatek’s winning run coming to an end is one that does not surprise her. Since 1990, the only players to have won as many matches as her in a row are Martina Hingis in 1997 and Stefi Graf in 1990.

“I didn’t feel like I’m in the best shape. So I’m kind of aware that this could happen. Maybe it’s not the right attitude to have, but it is like it is,” she explains.
“I tried many things to feel better on the grass courts but it didn’t really work out. That’s why I’m not even hard on myself because it’s kind of logical that if I couldn’t find it even in practice, I’m not going to find it in a match.”

In her match against Cornet, Swiatek was highly erratic during the closing stages as she produced a series of uncharacteristic mistakes. She only won two out of the last 14 points played.

“I didn’t have any idea. I didn’t tank it, but I just didn’t know what to do,” she admits.
“I was hoping that it would go in, but I made many mistakes. I didn’t even want to get angry again because I was kind of frustrated during my practice week and in the second round. I didn’t think it was going to help me.”

As for what the future has in store for Swiatek on grass, she is keeping a very open mind.

“I don’t know if I should even have hope. Maybe it’s just easier to take it easy and see what grass is going to bring me.” She concludes. 

Alize Cornet has become the first player since February 16th to defeat Iga Swiatek after producing a stunning win to knock the top seed out of Wimbledon.

In what was their first Tour meeting the 32-year-old battled to a shock 6-4, 6-2, victory. Ending Swiatek’s winning run of 37 matches and preventing her from becoming the first woman to reach 38 since Stefi Graf did so more than 30 years ago (1989-1990). Cornet’s triumph saw her hit a total of 16 winners as she capitalized on 32 unforced errors produced by her opponent. 

Whilst unseeded, Cornet has the game that can trouble anybody when she is on top form. This year’s Wimbledon is her 62nd consecutive appearance in the main draw of a Grand Slam which is something that has only ever been achieved by Japan’s Al Sugiyama on the WTA Tour. She has beaten three players whilst they have been ranked No.1 in the world, including Serena Williams in the third round of Wimbledon eight years ago.

“I have no words right now. It reminds me of the time I bet Serena on this Court exactly eight years ago. I think this court is a lucky charm for me,” said Cornet.
“I’m a huge fan of Iga. I mean, she’s so talented and such an amazing player. She is also a nice ambassador for women’s tennis. So I am very flattered that I beat her today.”

A poor start to the match by Swiatek enabled Cornet to storm to a 3-0 lead with relative ease. The Pole produced nine unforced errors during a period that had a pattern of patchy play similar to her rollercoaster second round win over Lesley Pattinama Kerkhove. Swiatek eventually found her footing to retrieve one of the breaks she lost but found it tough going to tame her aggressive-hitting rival. Serving for the set, Cornet worked her way to a 40-15 lead after her rival hit a backhand into the net. She then prevailed with a smash at the net. 

Facing the prospect of suffering her earliest exit from a major since the 2020 US Open, Swiatek tried to get the ball rolling by breaking early in the second set before losing her advantage in the following game. Then it was Cornet’s turn once again to have the momentum with a scorching return enabling her to break once again for a set and 3-2 lead. Steamrolling her way to a surprise victory, Cornet triumphed after a Swiatek forehand hit the net.

“These kinds of matches are the ones I am living for. These are the ones that I practice for every day. It really drives me,” said the Frenchwoman.
“I knew I had the belief (to win). I know she has 37 wins in a row but I was like ‘if there is a moment you can beat her it’s now on the grass.’ She feels a little less comfortable on grass than other surfaces. I was just believing very hard and I was very focused.”

It is only the second time in 62 appearences that Cornet has reached the second week at Wimbledon. The win comes during a season where she reached her maiden major quarter-final at the Australian Open in January.

“I’m like a good wine – always ages well,” she jokes.
“It’s unreal that I am playing one of the best seasons of my career. I’m having so much fun and feeling good physically. I’m still so motivated and have the fire inside of me.”

Cornet will play Ajla Tomljanović in the fourth round on Monday.