Taylor Fritz overcame a two-set deficit to win against Alexander Zverev, erasing the painful memory of his previous match on Centre Court. Conquering the 13th seeded American’s ticket to the Wimbledon quarter-finals was a gruelling match that lasted over three hours, resulting in a triumphant 4-6 6-7 (4) 6-4 7-6 (3) 6-3 score in Fritz’s favour. His last game on Centre Court in 2022 was a heart-wrenching five-set quarter-final loss against Rafael Nadal.
The loss was a crushing blow to Fritz, leaving him distraught for several weeks, and marking one of the last appearances for Nadal in SW19. The fierce battle with Fritz left Nadal with aggravated injuries causing him to bow out from the semi-final.
Threatening to cause further emotional turmoil for Fritz was the potential loss against fourth seed Zverev, who had ruthlessly held his serving streak for the week. However, the determined 26-year-old Fritz firmly stood his ground, achieving an incredible victory against the odds.
“It was a thrill to achieve such a feat on Centre Court. Being two sets down, it felt like a dream,” Fritz reflected. Despite his initial disadvantage, Fritz maintained his high-performance level, focusing on one set at a time, eventually turning the tide in his favour.
Despite Zverev’s protection from a previous injury during his third-round victory over Cameron Norrie, a few extended volleys on Centre Court proved negligible against his serve speed. Fritz capitalized on the break point opportunity early in the third set, the first faced by Zverev since the previous Tuesday. Zverev managed to ward this off, but Fritz’s persistence led to his victory when he claimed two more points at 4-4, leading to a game-changing double-fault for Zverev.
Fritz moved onto the next round after a decisive victory in the tie-break of the fourth set, followed by an early break in the final round. His celebratory posture, wide-eyed and arms wide open, reflected his triumph. The next challenge for Fritz is Lorenzo Musetti, the Italian 25th seed who makes his first-timer appearance in a grand slam quarter-final.
On the same day, a sobering mood was cast over the Wimbledon arena, as Elina Svitolina broke down in tears following her entrance into the quarter-finals. Simultaneously, her homeland was struck by a Russian missile targeting a children’s hospital in Kyiv.
Svitolina, a proud Ukrainian, bore a sorrowful black ribbon on her top during her victorious 6-2 6-1 encounter with Wang Xinyu. Her triumphant feeling was subsided by the devastation inflicted on her country. An outpouring of emotions interrupted her on-court interview, following the news of at least 31 victims in Ukraine.
Svitolina’s Instagram post referred to the match as one of her hardest, with her once joyous Wimbledon experience now overshadowed by grief. The 29-year-old admitted during a press conference, “Today is an incredibly painful day for all Ukrainians”. She expressed her struggle to be present amidst the ongoing crises. She craved solitude to process her emotions.
The horrific event at the children’s hospital intensified the anguish, the news of the loss of children’s lives was especially devastating. Svitolina admitted harboring feelings of guilt for experiencing joy or success on the court in light of the tragedy. She viewed her match against Wang as an opportunity to deliver a bit of relief and happiness to her countrymen. “This guilt is shared by many Ukrainians,” she confessed.
“My victory today provided a moment of happiness and served as a beacon of light to the Ukrainian people during a dire time,” said Svitolina, who received overwhelming messages of gratitude for her success. Her triumph today has, undeniably, brought her a sense of delight amidst distressing circumstances.
The emotional journey to the semi-finals last year is mirrored in Svitolina’s current quest – a challenge that will require her to overcome the fourth-seed favourite, Elena Rybakina. The 25-year-old transitioned her representation from Russia to Kazakhstan half a decade ago and is currently vying to secure the title for the second time within a span of three years.
While Svitolina chooses to abstain from physical greetings with Russian and Belarusian players post-match, she welcomes the camaraderie with Rybakina without hesitation. Svitolina mentioned that Rybakina’s nationality switch is an indication that she no longer aligns herself with her homeland, rendering their interaction acceptable.
Rybakina, whose competitors for the title have been eliminated thus far, made her way into the quarter-finals effortlessly following Anna Kalinskaya’s retirement on account of a wrist injury, with the score at 6-3 3-0 in Rybakina’s favour. Kalinskaya, accompanied by her boyfriend Jannik Sinner, had initially maintained a lead of 3-1 but chose to halt the match soon after the seventh game.
Being the highest seed remaining and the only participant with experience in the tournament’s final, Rybakina boasts a commendable record with 18 victories out of the 20 matches she competed in at Wimbledon.