2023-07-12 20:23:21
Correspondent
London
Updated Wednesday, July 12, 2023 – 20:23
The other great favorite, the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka has reached the semifinals practically without opposition
Svitolina celebrates her victory against Iga Swiatek during their quarterfinal match at WimbledonDANIEL LEALAFPWimbledon Alcaraz imposes his maturity against Rune and will play his first semifinals of the Wimbledon tournament against Medvedev Djokovic reacts furiously against Rublev and meets Sinner in the semifinals
It could be a doubly historic final: Elina Svitolina contra Aryna Sabalenka. For the Ukrainian, winning Wimbledon would be like a national wartime revenge. For the Belarusian it would mean more of a personal conquest: the possibility of snatching number one in the ranking from Every Swiatek.
Before they will have to play the semifinals, against the Czech Marjeta Vondrousova and the Tunisian Our Jabeur, respectively. Jabeur retaliated this Wednesday with his victory in three sets (6-7, 6-4, 6-1) over Elena Rybakinain a remake of the 2022 Wimbledon final in which the lanky Kazakh tennis player prevailed.
Last year, with the ban on the Russian and Belarusian players, everything was relatively easier. This summer, the competition has become more unpredictable, fiercer and more controversial, with the premature departures of Venus Williams y Coco Grauffthe final anger of the public to Azarenka or the $8,000 fine for the 16-year-old debutante Mirra Andreeva for throwing the racket in the air and facing the court judge in the style McEnroe.
The crowd favorite
Seen what has been seen, the great favorite of the public is undoubtedly Elina Svitolina, who She arrived at Wimbledon without a number on her back, in the heat of war and after having been a mother. “If someone told me at the beginning of the tournament that he was going to reach the semifinal, I would have answered that he was crazy,” he acknowledged in one of his crowded press conferences.
“Deep down, I believe that the war and motherhood have made me stronger,” acknowledged the 28-year-old Ukrainian tennis player, who reached number three and aspires to climb the ranking again. “I am a different person, I look at things differently. I have great motivation and I don’t panic.”
Resilience is undoubtedly her main virtue, as she demonstrated in the final tie break against Azarenka with 4-7 against, resolved with an unappealable ‘ace’. Since the tournament started has earned the status of “giant killer”, starting with Venus Williams and concluding her lesson against the Polish Iga Swiatek, with a masterful third set in which she put extraordinary pressure on the world number one.
The coaching change has also been decisive in her return to the slopes after maternity. the dutch coach Raemon Sluiter He has given his game a more aggressive touch that is finding its best expression on the grass. the czech Marketa Vondrousovawho left the number 4 in the world in the lurch, Jessica Pegulait will be his last obstacle to stand in the final.
El vendaval Sabalenka
Aryna Sabalenka arrives for her part like a gale, after dispatching by fast track to Madison Keys (6-2, 6-4) this Wednesday and after having dropped just one set since the tournament began. “If they give me a choice between winning Wimbledon and being number one, I’ll take both,” the Belarusian joked at a press conference. “Since I was a child, I’ve been dreaming of lifting this trophy, which has something special, with all the history behind it.”
His ultra-fast and offensive game He has left practically no option to his rivals, although she has a very special respect for her rival in the semifinals: Ons Jabeur, the Arab tennis player who gave the bell with her victory at the Madrid Open in 2022. “She is an idol in her country and she is a fearsome player who has very good shots”, anticipated. “It’s going to be a tough battle.”
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