WIMBLEDON: World number one Aryna Sabalenka marched into the Wimbledon quarter-finals on Sunday as her former doubles partner Elise Mertens fell short of upsetting the US Open champion. Sabalenka has never reached a final at the All England Club but is the player to beat as the only one of the top six seeds in the women’s draw still standing.

The 27-year-old missed last year’s Wimbledon due to injury and was banned in 2022 as part of a blanket suspension on Russian and Belarusian athletes due to the invasion of Ukraine. Sabalenka looks determined to make up for lost time and, just like in her third-round victory over Emma Raducanu, had to overcome a tough test from Mertens to progress 6-4, 7-6 (7/4).

The pair won the 2019 US Open and 2021 Australian Open together as a doubles partnership, but Sabalenka has now won their last 10 meetings against each other in singles. “It’s tough to play against someone you know quite close, it’s tricky facing her,” said Sabalenka. “I know how smart she is, I know she is going to fight until the very end. “She really challenged me today and I’m super happy with the win.”

A fast start from Sabalenka saw her stretch out to a 4-1 first set lead, only for Mertens to battle back and level at 4-4. The three-time Grand Slam winner responded in style, winning eight of the next 11 points, to take the set.

Mertens got the early break in the second, but the world number 23 could not hold on. Sabalenka broke back to tie up the second set at 3-3 and after six straight holds of serve, the match was decided in a tie-break.

Mertens again had the early advantage, but Sabalenka’s blistering ground strokes forced the Belgian onto the back foot before a volleyed winner sealed victory in just over 90 minutes on court Sabalenka faces Germany’s Laura Siegemund in the last eight on Tuesday. “It’s such a beautiful tournament. I always dreamed of winning it,” she added of potentially claiming a first Wimbledon title. “I’m just trying to give my best and really hope for the best.”

Thompson retires

Taylor Fritz booked a place in the Wimbledon quarter-finals in double-quick time on Sunday after Australia’s Jordan Thompson retired injured with the score at 6-1, 3-0. The US fifth seed faced gruelling five-set battles in his opening two matches but it was a different story in his fourth-round encounter on Court One.

The Eastbourne champion broke Thompson twice to seal the first set in just 21 minutes and led 3-0 in the second set. The Australian then had a medical time-out to deal with an apparent thigh problem.

He returned to the court and slipped 40-0 down in the fourth game before deciding he was unable to continue, with the match lasting just 41 minutes.

“He’s been playing five-setters,” said Fritz, 27. “He was out playing a long doubles match yesterday you know, so he’s been battling out here and I respected him for coming out. “Obviously his body’s not right. So, you know, I feel bad for him.”

Thompson, 44th in the rankings, was taken to five sets in his opening two singles matches at Wimbledon. Fritz, seeking to reach his first Wimbledon semi-final, will next face Russian 17th seed Karen Khachanov, who earlier beat Kamil Majchrzak with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 on Court Two.

Fritz won a record fourth Eastbourne title last month and was pushed to his limits in his opening two matches at the All England Club. The world number five rallied from the brink to defeat Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in five sets before going the distance against Gabriel Diallo in the second round. He then downed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in four sets, taking his time on court over three rounds to nearly 10 hours. — AFP