Iga Świątek, widely recognised as the top global women’s tennis player, suffered disappointment at Wimbledon, exiting in the third round after losing to Yulia Putintseva. This occurred amid jeers from an unsympathetic crowd on Court One. Despite being on an impressive 21-match victory run and having secured the first set, suggesting she was on track for the fourth round in the prestigious All England Club, she lost her momentum when Putintseva from Kazakhstan made a stunning comeback, scoring twice in the second set.
Świątek, a four-time winner at the French Open, surprisingly left the court before the deciding set. Her return was met with negative crowd reaction, losing her footing and offering Putintseva, the match’s 30th seed, an incredible win of 3-6 6-1 6-2 on her third attempt at match point.
Putintseva, a Moscow native, expressed her delight following her victory in an on-court interview. She acknowledged her intense focus during the match, emphasizing a strategy of swift play to keep the pressure on Świątek. She likened her energetic performance to a blazing fire, in an attempt to entertain the audience with her robust gameplay. Following her momentous win, she planned to relish the moment, cool down, stretch, and nourish herself.