Bencic, Samsonova, Andreeva reach first Wimbledon quarterfinals as Swiatek rounds out final eight

The women’s quarterfinal lineup is set at Wimbledon 2025, with Iga Swiatek sealing the final spot on Monday after a commanding win over Clara Tauson. She joins Belinda Bencic, Mirra Andreeva, and Liudmila Samsonova, who all advanced alongside Aryna Sabalenka, Amanda Anisimova, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, and Laura Siegemund to complete a thrilling and unpredictable final eight.

Swiatek is back in the Wimbledon quarterfinals for just the second time in her career after defeating Denmark’s Clara Tauson 6-4 6-1. The former world No. 1 needed just 68 minutes to wrap up the win on Centre Court, recovering swiftly from an early stumble on serve.

After trailing 1-3 in the opening set, Swiatek quickly found her rhythm, winning five of the next six games to turn the tide. Her dominant play was aided by Tauson’s physical struggles; the 23rd seed, fresh off a stunning win over 2022 champion Elena Rybakina, appeared under the weather and took a medical timeout during the match. Swiatek later revealed the Dane admitted she wasn’t feeling well when they met at the net.

Despite the circumstances, Swiatek remained focused and efficient. The eighth seed struck 18 winners and broke Tauson five times to improve to 3-0 in their head-to-head record.

Swiatek’s quarterfinal opponent will be 19th seed Liudmila Samsonova, who overcame Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in a tightly contested 7-5 7-5 victory. Samsonova had been in dominant form through the first three rounds, surrendering only 13 games in total. Though Bouzas Maneiro pushed her harder than previous opponents, Samsonova remained composed, sealing the win in one hour and 44 minutes to reach her first-ever Grand Slam quarterfinal.

Also on Monday, Belinda Bencic reached a career milestone at Wimbledon, advancing to the quarterfinals for the first time. Overcome with emotion, the Swiss star fought back tears following a straight-sets triumph over Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova, 7-6(4) 6-4.

The match carried extra weight for Bencic, who had suffered a heavy 6-1 6-2 defeat to Alexandrova just a fortnight ago at the Bad Homburg Open. This time, however, she flipped the script. With composure and sharp shot-making, Bencic weathered the tense moments and rose to the occasion, especially in a crucial first-set tiebreak.

When Alexandrova, the tournament’s 18th seed, misfired on a forehand to end the contest, Bencic lifted her arms in relief and joy before being visibly moved by the achievement. She credited her recent momentum to steady match play and consistent training over the past few weeks. Since returning to the tour following the birth of her child last year, Bencic has found a renewed spark, highlighted by her title run in Abu Dhabi just ten months postpartum.

At 28 and unseeded, Bencic now awaits teenager Mirra Andreeva. The 18-year-old Russian cruised past Emma Navarro with a composed 6-2 6-3 victory to reach the last eight. Andreeva, one of just 11 teenagers in the main singles draws at this year’s Championships, stood out as the only one to reach the fourth round and has now pushed further into the tournament than any of her young peers.

Yet even in victory, the moment almost passed her by. So locked in and determined to stay in the zone, Andreeva didn’t immediately register that the match had ended when Navarro sent a forehand into the net. Instead of celebrating, she calmly returned to the baseline and began adjusting her strings, preparing for another rally.

Only when she heard the crowd erupt and saw her coach, Conchita Martinez, applauding from the box did she realize the match was over and that she had just secured her place in her first Wimbledon quarterfinal.

The other two quarterfinal matchups were set on Sunday: world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka will take on Germany’s Laura Siegemund, while No. 13 seed Amanda Anisimova is set to face Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.