Świątek Stunned at Wimbledon: Yulia Putintseva Upsets Rising Star in Third Round Showdown

In a surprising upset at Wimbledon, World No. 1 Iga Świątek faced a shocking defeat in the third round against Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva. The Polish star, who had not lost a match in nearly three months, including a dominant victory at the French Open, seemed poised to continue her streak after taking the first set 6-3. However, Putintseva, ranked 35th in the world, mounted a comeback, winning the next two sets decisively with scores of 6-1, 6-2.

Reflecting on her performance, Świątek acknowledged the need for adjustments in her Wimbledon preparations, particularly after another tournament where her best result remains reaching the quarterfinals in 2023.

“My tank of really pushing myself to the limits became suddenly empty,” she told reporters, per Reuters. “I was kind of surprised. But I know what I did wrong after Roland Garros. I didn’t really rest properly. I’m not going to make this mistake again.”

Following an impressive clay court season, Iga Świątek skipped warm-up tournaments on grass, emphasizing the need for patience and acceptance of errors on the faster surface.

Transitioning from her peak performance on clay, Świątek admitted to grappling with the adjustment, noting, “For me, moving from a surface where I felt I was playing the best tennis of my life to one where I face more challenges, it’s not straightforward.”

In contrast, her opponent, Yulia Putintseva, has excelled on grass, remaining undefeated this season and securing her first title on the surface in Birmingham last month. Putintseva’s prowess was evident in the match, highlighted by precision shots like a well-executed backhand crosscourt pass that frustrated Świątek and a delicate slice return winner to stave off a set point.

After a strong start by Świątek in the first set, Yulia Putintseva steadily dismantled the Polish player’s game, dominating the second set to even the match. In the decisive third set, Putintseva maintained her composure while Świątek struggled with uncharacteristic errors, tallying 38 compared to Putintseva’s 15.

Reflecting on her performance, Putintseva expressed her fearless approach, telling reporters, “I believed 100 percent, I had nothing to lose, just go for it.” Encouraged by her coach to commit fully to every shot, Putintseva now looks ahead to a matchup with Jelena Ostapenko on Monday for a spot in the quarterfinals.

In other Wimbledon action, Novak Djokovic overcame an initial setback to defeat Australia’s Alexei Popyrin 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3), setting up a fourth-round encounter with Holger Rune.