Iga Swiatek celebrates winning the women’s singles semifinal match against Belinda Bencic. (AP)
The 24-year-old five-time Grand Slam champion, who has won four French Open titles and the 2022 US Open, will face 13th-seeded American Amanda Anisimova in Saturday’s final. Swiatek will face Anisimova, who defeated top seed Aryna Sabalenka in three sets, for the first time in their professional careers. “For sure, she must be playing great. She also had great tournament before Wimbledon (reaching the final at Queen’s). She knows how to play on grass. With her game style, the surface fits her. So it’s going to be a challenge.
I haven’t watched a lot, so I’m going to just prepare tactically tomorrow.”
The eighth-seeded Swiatek dominated the 71-minute match against the 35th-ranked Bencic, showcasing her improved grass court abilities.
By progressing to the final, Swiatek has been to the final of majors played on all three surfaces – hardcourts, grass and clay. No other current player has that achievement. “Every Slam is totally different. It’s hard to compare these journeys. But for sure, like, for now I’ve been enjoying just this new feeling of being a bit more comfortable on grass. I’m kind of maybe thinking about it a bit more. For sure I’m enjoying it. But obviously there have been Slams where I enjoyed my game as well. The Polish player emphasised the importance of playing instinctively on grass courts.