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With the Pole, a mammoth task awaits the Swiss in the Wimbledon round of 16. The anticipation is still great.
Thanks to a convincing victory, Belinda Bencic is in the round of 16 at Wimbledon for the first time in five years. In the third round game against the Pole Magda Linette, the eastern Swiss performed as she did in her best times so far, when she won Olympic gold and stormed up to fourth place in the world rankings.
With 6:3, 6:1, the number 14 of the tournament didn’t give Linette, who was only ten places behind, the slightest chance – despite her shoulder and upper arm being bandaged. “I had the feeling that I was in control of everything, and that’s a good feeling,” she said after the convincing success.
Bencic’s performance on Friday was no comparison to a struggling second-round win over Danielle Collins. One reason: the weather. In London it was summer hot for the first time this week. “I much prefer it that way,” emphasized Bencic. “I hate the cold when it’s windy and so ‘scary’ is like the first game.”
I’m the one who can go all out. If I lose, nothing happens, if I win, it’s incredible.
Another Pole awaits the 26-year-old on Sunday and at the same time what is probably the greatest possible challenge in women’s tennis at the moment: the world number 1 and Roland Garros champion Iga Swiatek. The four-time Grand Slam winner has not yet dropped a set in the current tournament.
The 22-year-old Pole leads 2-1 in head-to-head. Swiatek won the first duel in 2021 in the Adelaide final and the last encounter in January 2023 at the United Cup in two sets. In the round of 16 of the US Open 2021, Bencic was able to prevail.
Will it work for the first time with the quarterfinals?
Bencic also believes in her chance on the Wimbledon lawn. “I like this challenge,” she assures. “I’m the one who can go all out. If I lose, nothing happens, if I win, it’s incredible.” The fact that rain is forecast for Sunday doesn’t worry her. On the contrary: “If the roof were closed, that would be great for me.”
Bencic has never reached the quarterfinals in Wimbledon in two previous attempts. In 2015, Victoria Azarenka stood in the way in the round of 16, three years later Angelique Kerber.
live notice
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You can watch the round of 16 in Wimbledon between Belinda Bencic and Iga Swiatek on Sunday live on SRF and in the SRF Sport App. The exact time has not yet been determined.
2023-07-08 09:59:00
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