Wimbledon: Sabalenka brushes Alexandrova aside to breeze through to the quarter-finals

Aryna Sabalenka wasted little time in defeating Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova, breezing past the No. 21 seed 6-4, 6-0 to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals in emphatic style.

Sabalenka, the second seed at Wimbledon this year behind Iga Swiatek, looked in ominous form as her trademark heavy-hitting and power game simply blew her Russian opponent away.

Despite competing well in the first set, Alexandrova was powerless to stop the Sabalenka steam train rolling on in this year’s Championships, once the Belarusian had the first set safely under her belt.

It is the second consecutive time that Sabalenka has reached at least the last eight of the Championships, having reached the semi-finals in 2021 and not playing at last year’s tournament due to the ban on Russian and Belarusian players.

Ahead of her victory, the Belarusian won against Hungarian Panna Udvardy (6-3, 6-1), Frenchwoman Varvara Gracheva (2-6, 7-5, 6-2) and Russian Anna Blinkova (6-2, 6-3).

Sabalenka will next face American Madison Keys, the 25th seed, in the last eight, in what is sure to be a fascinating encounter of two powerful players with big-hitting games.

Alexandrova closes her grass-court season with her head held high, having backed up her title victory at the Libema Open with a commendable run to the last 16 at SW19.

In the previous round, the Russian beat American Emma Navarro (6-4, 6-3), American Madison Brengle (6-7 (4), 7-6 (5), 7-6 (7)) and Hungarian Dalma Galfi (6-0, 6-4).

London (Grand Slam), other last 16 results (All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, grass, GBP 16.077.000, most recent results first):

• Ons Jabeur vs. Petra Kvitova: monday
• Elena Rybakina (3) beat Beatriz Haddad Maia (13): 4-1 ret.
• Madison Keys beat Mirra Andreeva (Q): 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2
• Elina Svitolina (WC) beat Victoria Azarenka (19): 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (9)
• Iga Swiatek (1) beat Belinda Bencic (14): 6-7 (4), 7-6 (2), 6-3
• Jessica Pegula (4) beat Lesia Tsurenko: 6-1, 6-3
• Marketa Vondrousova beat Marie Bouzkova (32): 2-6, 6-4, 6-3