Former world number one Iga Swiatek showed her battling qualities to come out on top of a tricky second set and beat Liudmila Samsonova to reach her first Wimbledon semi-final.
The Pole won 6-2 7-5 and will next face either Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva or Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic for a place in the final.
“It feels great. I got goosebumps after this win,” Swiatek, 24, said.
“I really worked hard to progress on this surface. This year I will just work with it and myself.”
Swiatek is enjoying her best form on grass with this victory her eighth on the surface in 2025 – the most she has managed in a season.
She appears to be peaking at just the right time as she chases a first Wimbledon title, although some erratic serving at times in the second set will remind her she cannot let her guard slip as she bids for a sixth Grand Slam title.
After racing through the first set in 38 minutes, Swiatek was handed an early break in the second when Samsonova twice double faulted and it seemed like she would make similarly swift progress.
But both players made mistakes on their serves as breaks were exchanged, with Swiatek squandering three game points to miss the chance to grasp control of the second set.
But she turned on the quality when it mattered, breaking once more at 6-5 up to win and go through.