Iga Swiatek reaches her 1st Wimbledon semifinal after beating No. 19 Samsonova

Howard Fendrich · The Associated Press

· Posted: Jul 09, 2025 11:20 AM EDT | Last Updated: 38 minutes ago

Iga Swiatek reached the Wimbledon semifinals for the archetypal clip with a 6-2, 7-5 triumph implicit 19th-seeded Liudmila Samsonova that went from a stroll to a spot of a conflict successful the precocious stages Wednesday.

"Even though I'm successful the mediate of the tournament, I already got goosebumps aft this win," said Swiatek, who volition look unseeded Belinda Bencic connected Thursday for a spot successful the final. "I'm ace blessed and ace arrogant of myself."

Bencic bushed No. 7 Mirra Andreeva 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2) to scope her archetypal Grand Slam semifinal since the 2019 U.S. Open. The different semifinal is No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka against No. 13 Amanda Anisimova; they precocious with wins Tuesday.

Bencic, who astatine 28 is simply a decennary older than Andreeva, is competing successful her 2nd large tourney since returning to the circuit aft giving commencement to a girl successful April 2024.

Swiatek is simply a five-time Grand Slam champion, with 4 of those titles connected the reddish clay of the French Open, and the different connected the hard courts of the U.S. Open. She's besides doubly been a semifinalist astatine the hard-court Australian Open.

The writer courts of the All England Club ever had fixed her the astir occupation arsenic a pro, adjacent though she did assertion a inferior title determination successful 2018. In her 5 appearances successful the Wimbledon women's bracket earlier this year, she had made it arsenic acold arsenic the quarterfinals conscionable once, exiting successful that circular successful 2023.

But the 24-year-old from Poland is enjoying a career-best tally connected the slick surface, acknowledgment successful portion to being much comfy with the footing required.

"I, for sure, consciousness similar I truly worked hard to advancement present connected this surface," Swiatek said. "So this year, I consciousness similar I tin conscionable enactment with it and enactment with myself. I'll conscionable support doing that."

Drought causes drop successful rankings

Before the commencement of Wimbledon, Swiatek was the runner-up successful Bad Homburg, Germany, her archetypal last astatine a tourney played connected writer — and her archetypal last astatine immoderate lawsuit successful much than a year, a drought that resulted successful her falling from the No. 1 ranking and being seeded No. 8 astatine the All England Club.

Her unsmooth play included a one-month prohibition past play successful a doping lawsuit aft an probe determined a failed out-of-competition cause trial was caused by an unintentional contamination of non-prescription medicine for issues with pitchy lag and sleeping. On the court, a semifinal nonaccomplishment to Sabalenka astatine Roland-Garros past period ended Swiatek's 26-match French Open winning streak.

Swiatek led by a acceptable and 3-0 successful the 2nd against Samsonova, who was appearing successful her archetypal Grand Slam quarterfinal.

Soon, though, it was 4-all, past 5-all. But Swiatek held for a 6-5 lead, past broke to extremity it, and a grin dispersed crossed her face.

"I'll conscionable retrieve today, effort not to observe excessively much, but already absorption connected the adjacent one," Swiatek said. "Prepare successful the evening, and I'll beryllium acceptable tomorrow."

Bencic, who astatine 28 is simply a decennary older than Andreeva, is competing successful her 2nd large tourney since returning to the circuit aft giving commencement to a daughter, Bella, successful April 2024.

"I'm precise proud, actually. All my career, I didn't accidental it a batch to myself, but aft having Bella, I truly accidental it to myself each day," Bencic said. "We are conscionable enjoying beingness connected circuit with Bella, traveling. It's been beauteous to make these memories together. And obviously, to play large is truthful amazing, but for me, it's a bonus. I'm mostly conscionable truly blessed to beryllium capable to play again."