Mum on a mission: Belinda Bencic shocks Mirra Andreeva, sets Wimbledon showdown with Iga Swiatek

Belinda Bencic has secured her spot in the Wimbledon semifinals after surprising Mirra Andreeva with a 7-6(3), 7-6(2) victory in an impeccable serving performance. The 28-year-old player returns to a Grand Slam semifinal for the second time in her career and will face five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek for a place in the final.

The teenage Russian entered the match as the favorite against Bencic, but she couldn't overcome her opponent's consistency. Both players performed at an incredibly high level on serve, but Bencic was better in moments under pressure to clinch the victory. Bencic also secured her return to the top-20, just six months after her comeback to the courts following her maternity break.

The differences were minimal from the start. Both players had strong service games, and neither managed to create opportunities for a good portion of the set. Andreeva won 84% of points on her first serve and Bencic 77%, with not many long rallies throughout the set.

During the first part of the set, a few deuces were played, but they reached 5-5 without either player having break opportunities. Precisely then, Andreeva had her first chances, but Bencic managed to save them, and everything ended up being decided in the tie-break. An early mini-break favored the Swiss, who ultimately won the set after taking four of the last five points and closing it out 7-6(3).

Bencic maintained her focus while Andreeva seemed nervous in returning her opponent's serves. The former World No. 4 looked for the break as early as the third game, having two break points and playing several deuces, yet Andreeva managed to escape and stay ahead in the set.

The 18-year-old again had an opportunity in the 8th game but couldn't convert it. However, the tension in the final moments ultimately complicated things for Andreeva, who conceded her serve in the following game, and Bencic secured the first break of the match to go up 5-4. Yet, Bencic couldn't capitalize on her chance, and Andreeva broke back in the next game, leveling the score at 5-5 and increasing the tension.

It all came down to the tie-break, where an early mini-break put Bencic in a comfortable lead. The Tokyo 2020 gold medalist showed greater composure in the final stretch, with good service points, while Andreeva got tangled up in errors. A double fault from the Russian gave Bencic four match points, and she converted her first chance to secure the 7-6(3), 7-6(2) victory.

The Swiss reaches a Grand Slam semifinal for the second time in her career – the previous one nearly six years ago at the 2019 US Open – where she fell to eventual champion Bianca Andreescu. This time, she will face five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek, who is on a roll and defeated Liudmila Samsonova in the quarterfinals.