Tunisian Ons Jabeur produced a stunning display to defeat seventh seed Iga Swiatek to secure her first Wimbledon quarter-final, while former champion Angelique Kerber also progressed by beating American teenager Coco Gauff.
Jabeur, 26, prevailed 5-7 6-1 6-1 to become the first Arab woman to reach the last eight at the All England Club.
The world number 24 meets Belarusian second seed Aryna Sabalenka next.
Meanwhile, 2018 winner Kerber overcame talented 17-year-old Gauff 6-4 6-4.
The three-time Grand Slam champion and former world number one will face Australian Open semi-finalist Karolina Muchova in her quarter-final, after the Czech 19th seed recorded a 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 victory over Spain’s Paula Badosa.
World number four Sabalenka set up her match against Jabeur by beating Kazakh 18th seed Elena Rybakina 6-3 4-6 6-3 to also reach her first Grand Slam quarter-final.
Elsewhere, world number one Ashleigh Barty reached the last eight at Wimbledon for the first time with a 7-5 6-3 victory over French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova.
Australian Barty will face compatriot Ajla Tomljanovic or British wildcard Emma Raducanu.
Czech eighth seed Karolina Pliskova will play Swiss world number 66 Viktorija Golubic in the quarters following her 6-2 6-3 win against Russian wildcard Liudmila Samsonova, while Golubic shocked American 23rd seed Madison Keys 7-6 (7-3) 6-3.
Jabeur continues to make history
Jabeur became the first Arab woman to win a WTA title at the Birmingham Classic in June and, having become the first Arab woman to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon, continues to break new ground as she reached her first Wimbledon quarter-final.
Having despatched five-time champion Venus Williams in straight sets, the 21st seed’s excellent comeback victory over 2017 champion Garbine Muguruza on Friday ensured her best run at Wimbledon would continue into the second week.
Up against Poland’s 2020 French Open champion on ‘Manic Monday’ at SW19, Jabeur made her latest statement as she pursues her target of a semi-final appearance.
Though her nerves at match point against Muguruza led to her vomiting at the back of the court before serving out the win – something she later said was related to stomach inflammation, which can be affected by nerves – the world number 24 faced no such issues as she recovered from a set down to claim an impressive victory.
Swiatek, 20, responded from 3-1 down in the first set, having been broken in her opening service game, and again from 5-3 behind as she closed out with three successive games to edge ahead in a quality encounter.
World number 24 Jabeur broke impressively at the start of the second set, though, a frustrated Swiatek striking the net with her racquet as she fell 2-0 behind.
The Pole’s position deteriorated further from there, as Jabeur surrendered just one game on her way to levelling the match in impressive fashion.
And there was to be no let-up, as the Tunisian produced another sublime set of tennis, sealing her progress in style as she took the final five games without reply to match her best Grand Slam performance – having also reached the quarter-finals at the 2020 Australian Open.
Kerber wins battle of the generations
The match-up between 33-year-old Kerber and American prodigy Gauff, who is almost half her age, had been an intriguing prospect.
The German’s triumph on the Wimbledon grass in 2018 was her most recent major success and since then she had failed to make it past the fourth round at a Grand Slam until now.
Now she finds herself as the only Wimbledon champion remaining in the draw after producing a superb display against a player who has been touted as a future major winner since her fairytale run at SW19 as a 15-year-old two years ago.
Kerber emerged on top after five successive breaks of serve in the opening set before using her experience to see out the second after an early break.
It means Gauff exits the tournament at the same stage as she did in 2019, and Kerber was the first to praise her efforts.
“Coco is such a talented player and she has a great future,” Kerber said after applauding the American off the court.
“I am really sure she will have a great career and she can win the title here too at some point.”
Article courtesy of BBC Sport
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