Another great Wimbledon women’s tournament is in the books, featuring phenomenal matches and an underdog story. Absolutely no one could have had Marketa Vondrousova as a favorite for this tournament, as she stunned the tennis world with her win over Jabeur. Throughout the epic fourteen days of tennis action, LWOS writers have ranked the top matches from the women’s event at SW19.
5. Belinda Bencic d. Danielle Collins 3-6 6-4 7-6 (2) – second round
Kicking off this list is a fantastic display of offensive tennis. Other than a slightly underwhelming third-set tiebreak, the quality was fabulous, with both players firing winners left and right. Collins wasn’t able to convert from a set and a break up, in part due to Bencic’s relentless aggressive hitting. The Swiss played very solid tennis in the tiebreak, while Collins unfortunately crumbled.
4. Sofia Kenin d. Coco Gauff 6-4 4-6 6-2 – first round
After falling away from the big stage of tennis, Kenin seemed to revitalize her career with this massive win. Many fans argue this match was lost by Gauff’s continued forehand woes, but I’d argue Kenin won this match. Her first serve was flawless, and she hit countless winners from absurd angles. Gauff didn’t play badly either, with the 19-year-old enthralling fans with her athleticism, even winning points on the ground. Her forehand let up towards the end, allowing Kenin to achieve a massive win.
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3. Marie Bouzkova d. Caroline Garcia 7-6 (0) 4-6 7-5 – third round
Another cracking match that featured on two courts; the match ended as a late-night classic under the Court 1 roof. Bouzkova hit some stunning shots late in the third set, no shot better than an epic passing shot winner at 4-3. Garcia’s extremely offensive strategy boded well at times, but the Frenchwoman’s shots were frequently counterattacked by Bouzkova’s variety and shot-making. Bouzkova was also able to come back multiple times from a break down in the final set.
2. Iga Świątek d. Belinda Bencic 6-7 (4) 7-6 (5) 6-2 – fourth round
While Swiatek’s Wimbledon was a disappointment after her quarterfinal loss to Svitolina, this match reminded fans that her no. 1 ranking this year is absolutely no fluke. Bencic’s capability of causing upsets shined throughout the first 2/3rds of this match, with the Swiss firing winners off the ground for fun. Swiatek’s comeback from 5-6 15-40 in the second set was admirable; she saved both match points with fearless ball striking. That sense of offensive hitting continued for Swiatek, as she gradually broke down Bencic’s game into the third set.
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Honorable Mentions
Lesia Tsurenko d. Ana Bogdan 4-6 6-3 7-6 (18) – third round
This was an absolutely crazy match, ultimately known entirely for the final set tiebreak. The stats weren’t pretty, with both players hitting far more errors than winners. Yet, the fight from both players in the epic 37-minute tiebreak was thrilling to watch. Both players could hardly walk at the end, with Tsurenko edging through a historic battle.
Marketa Vondrousova d. Jessica Pegula 6-4 2-6 6-4 – quarterfinals
This match was the big difference in Vondrousova’s stunning Wimbledon victory, highlighted by her fightback from 4-1 down in the third set. In fact, she was won point away from slipping down 5-1, something nearly impossible to fight back from. Vondrousova’s finesse won her some epic points in this match, giving her the confidence and realization that she could very well win the whole tournament.
Caroline Garcia d. Leylah Fernandez 3-6 6-4 7-6 (6) – second round
A similar match to Collins v. Bencic (with the exact same scoreline), as high-quality ball striking defined the course of the match. Fernandez was able to neutralize Garcia’s hard hitting groundstrokes, creating some exciting points. Similar to Collins, Fernandez faded at the end of the tie-break.
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1. Elina Svitolina d. Victoria Azarenka 2-6 6-4 7-6 (9) – fourth round
Rounding out the list has to give the honors to Svitolina for her epic Wimbledon fourth-round victory. Both players produced some incredible rallies, with Svitolina and Azarenka similarly counterpunching and stunningly getting extra balls back. Any superlative could define the end of the match, but high-quality point after point made up much of the end of the third set. This all led up to a thrilling final set tiebreak. It was ironic that the match ended on a perfectly placed serve, and it was one of Svitolina’s only aces in the match. The intensity of this match also made it memorable, as both players were absolutely fired up for the duration of the entire match.
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
