Świątek Powers Past Plíšková Into Wimbledon Third Round

Plíšková, now 34, has been fighting her way back after an ankle injury that nearly ended her career altogether, and she still showed flashes of her old power. But it simply wasn't enough to trouble Świątek, who is chasing history this fortnight as she tries to become the first woman in a decade to successfully defend her Wimbledon title.

A Dominant Start Followed by a Tougher Fight
Playing under sunny skies, Świątek looked sharp from the very first point, wrapping up the opening set in just 25 minutes. The second set proved a bit trickier, but she found a way through regardless.

With this win, Świątek has now reached the third round at 26 consecutive Grand Slam tournaments, a streak surpassed only by Martina Navratilova and Conchita Martinez in the history of the sport.

Speaking afterwards, Świątek admitted she felt far more settled than she had in her opening match. "I'm feeling more stable today, and that's good. The first round was really emotional for sure," she said. "Today, I felt like it was another day in the office. Even when she was playing fast and flat, I knew that my spin gives me control." Her first-round match had been a three-set battle against Taylor Townsend, so this straightforward victory came as a welcome change of pace.

Plíšková's Comeback Continues Despite the Loss
Plíšková's journey back to competitive tennis has been a long one. She missed the entire 2025 season after tearing ligaments in her ankle at the 2024 US Open, and she began this year ranked as low as 1,054 in the world. Since then, she's clawed her way back into the top 100, a remarkable turnaround given how serious her injury was.

There were still glimpses of the player who reached the Wimbledon final back in 2021. Her powerful serve and heavy groundstrokes occasionally rattled Świątek, and she even raced out to a 2-0 lead at the start of the second set. But a couple of costly double faults handed Świątek back-to-back service breaks, and the six-time Grand Slam champion didn't waste the opportunity, quickly taking control and closing out the match.

Świątek was also asked about her rating from Martina Navratilova, who was working as a commentator on the match and had awarded her performance an A+. Świątek, ever her own toughest critic, wasn't so sure. "I felt like I played so many dirty shots in that final game, especially, I wasn't able to control them that much," she said. "So maybe not A+, more like B, I would say."

Up next for Świątek is a clash with 29th seed Alexandra Eala of the Philippines, who advanced by defeating Maya Joint, the player who had knocked out Serena Williams, in a 3-6, 6-2, 6-0 win.