LONDON (Reuters) – Unseeded Czech Marie Bouzkova snapped Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia’s eight-match successful run on grass with a 7-5 6-2 victory within the Wimbledon fourth spherical on Sunday to reach her first Grand Slam quarter-final.
Since knocking out American seventh seed Danielle Collins within the opening spherical, the 23-year-old Bouzkova has grown from energy to energy on the grasscourt Grand Slam the place she had by no means beforehand acquired previous the second spherical.
The 66th-ranked Czech had gained her solely earlier match on grass towards Garcia who was thought-about a contender to win Wimbledon this yr after her title run at Bad Homburg and a large open ladies’s draw.
“If you’d inform me earlier than the event began I’d be within the quarters, I in all probability would not imagine you,” stated Bouzkova, who will subsequent meet both Ons Jabeur, the best seed remaining within the ladies’s draw, or twenty fourth seed Elise Mertens.
“Always strive to take it match by match. Since first match has been actually powerful journey for me. Just to be now within the quarters, it is one thing very particular for me.
“I’m simply actually proud that I’ve been ready to deal with the whole lot the way in which I’ve and simply benefit from the second.”
With Wimbledon enjoying a full schedule for the primary time on the center Sunday, Bouzkova broke Fifty fifth-ranked Garcia early on Court Two however was damaged again within the eighth recreation.
From 4-5 down within the opening set, nevertheless, Bouzkova, who made solely 4 unforced errors within the match, gained 9 of the subsequent 11 video games to seal victory in an hour and 23 minutes.
Bouzkova was pressured to withdraw from Roland Garros after testing constructive for COVID-19 forward of her second-round match.
“I’ve really been feeling very well bodily after COVID in Paris,” she advised reporters.
“I all the time like to play on grass. I simply realize it takes a couple of days, perhaps one or two matches, to get used to it, to make some small modifications.”
(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly, enhancing by Ed Osmond)
