Iga Swiatek overcame a late start and the lack of a Centre Court crowd to progress into the fourth round of Wimbledon with a straight-sets win over Petra Martic.
Swiatek had been scheduled to play second on the biggest venue at the All England Club on Friday, but Andy Murray's unfinished match with Stefanos Tsitsipas had to be squeezed in before she did battle with the 30th seed.
By the time Swiatek walked out just before 6.30pm, the majority of the crowd had exited following Murray’s five-set defeat.
But the world number one showed why she is a four-time grand slam champion with a professional display in a 6-2 7-5 victory that equals her best showing in SW19.
After a long wait to begin her quest to make the last-16 for a second time, Swiatek had to save three break points and needed six minutes to hold in her first service game.
It was a sign of things to come with three consecutive breaks following before the Polish right-hander ended the sequence to go 4-2 up.
A powerful backhand winner from behind the baseline clinched a third break and despite being troubled by an insect on her foot at set point, Swiatek closed out the opener 6-2.
The final score did not tell the full story with Martic forcing more break point opportunities but only converting one from four.
More spectators filtered into Centre Court ahead of the second set and Swiatek started to up her level, showing impressive agility to land a volley before she repeated the trick to end a thrilling net exchange with a glorious passing winner.
Another change of ends, with Martic leading 3-2 on serve, saw the attendance increase and those new to their green seats were welcomed with an exquisite backhand from Swiatek.
Swiatek was in the zone now and a rocket of a return brought up break point and another flush forehand sealed it.
Two more winners followed in an easy hold that put her a game away from round four, but Martic, who has made the last-16 on three occasions in SW19, suddenly dug in.
One match point was saved by the Croatian, who after a dogged hold went on to break Swiatek to make it 5-5.
It allowed more fans to flood back in with Centre Court closer to capacity now and they were treated to two more games, the first featuring a sumptuous backhand return that helped Swiatek break again before she booked her spot in the last-16 for only a second time at Wimbledon.
Next up is 14th seed and Olympic champion Belinda Bencic, but Swiatek feels there is more to come from her on the English lawn.
She said in her on-court interview: "Well for sure, it wasn’t easy. Petra was playing well, I tried to be focused from beginning to the end.
"I am happy to win in two sets and happy with my performance.
"There is always something to improve. I am still 22 so I feel I have a lot to learn. I hope I will get better and better every year."
Second seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus recovered from a poor first set to beat Varvara Gracheva 2-6 7-5 6-2 and reach the third round at Wimbledon.
The 2021 semi-finalist at the All England Club is only behind world number one Iga Swiatek (40) for match wins on the WTA Tour this year with 35. However, her status as one of the favourites to lift the Venus Rosewater Dish was severely tested.
The Australian Open champion struggled badly in the opening set, with Gracheva, representing France for the first time since switching nationality from Russia last month, moving around with ease in the sunshine on Court One.
Sabalenka sent a forehand wide of the tramlines in the sixth game, one of 16 unforced errors in the set, to hand an early break to the 22-year-old, who saved three break points to extend her lead before breaking again to take the set.
A huge upset looked on the cards before Sabalenka found her rhythm midway through the second set, executing a cute drop shot to seal a hold to love. A huge roar after a hold at 5-5 powered the 25-year-old through to breaking Gracheva and serving out the set to level the match.
An early break in the decider swung the momentum in favour of Sabalenka, who had sharpened her returns and was finding the corners of the court with her powerful backhand.
The 2021 Wimbledon semi-finalist secured another break after a double fault from Gracheva and smashed an ace down the middle to complete her comeback and set up a third-round clash with Russian Anna Blinkova.
"It was just crazy, it was super tough and I couldn't find my rhythm. I was just telling myself to keep fighting, keep trying and just do your best and probably you're going to win this one," Sabalenka said in an on-court interview.
Roaring Back 😤
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 7, 2023
No.2 seed @SabalenkaA fights back from a set down against Varvara Gracheva to move on, 2-6, 7-5, 6-2#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/3rtP2WZtZv
Two-time former champion Petra Kvitova cruised into the third round, the ninth seed brushing aside the limited challenge of Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-2 6-2 on a sun-drenched Court Two.
The 33-year-old Czech, who triumphed in 2011 and 2014, has got past the third round only once since her second victory but did not need to be anywhere near her best in a match full of errors, most of them from Sasnovich, who has never gone beyond the fourth round at a grand slam in 10 years of trying.
Kvitova warmed up for Wimbledon with a grasscourt title in Berlin and though they traded early breaks, the Czech always looked to be on top and broke for 4-2, with Sasnovich dropping serve again, finishing with a double fault, to lose the first set.
The Belarusian, sporting full length white leggings, briefly perked up to break for 1-1 in the second but it did not last as the error count remained high in the face of Kvitova's deep and accurate groundstrokes and the favourite cruised home in 74 minutes.
"It’s always difficult to play her, always a battle, and I’m happy that somehow I found a way and I’m through," said Kvitova.
"I really enjoyed the it. You never know how long you can play but I wish it never ends – all the support is always amazing."
Kvitova is locked in. 🔒
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 7, 2023
The two-time champion beats Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-2, 6-2 to reach 3R#Wimbledon | @Petra_Kvitova pic.twitter.com/F98tY4EdHg
Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk reached third round for the first time after her Spanish opponent Paula Badosa retired with an injury during their match.
The 21-year-old Kostyuk was leading 6-2 1-0 when Badosa pulled out with a back problem.
Badosa, the 25-year-old girlfriend of Stefanos Tsitsipas, missed the French Open due to a spinal stress fracture.
Spain's Badosa was scheduled to play with Tsitsipas in the mixed doubles but that now looks unlikely.
Kostyuk defeated eighth seed Maria Sakkari in the first round and will hope to continue her run against either 25th seed Madison Keys or Viktorija Golubic.
Last year's runner-up Ons Jabeur thumped China’s Bai Zhuoxuan 6-1 6-1 on Court One.
History was made in the battle between Lesia Tsurenko and Ana Bogdan as they produced a 38-point tie-breaker – the most in a women’s grand slam.
It came in the deciding set and Tsurenko prevailed, winning 4-6 6-3 7-6 (20-18).
Viktoria Azarenka and Elina Svitolina will pair up in a mouthwatering fourth-round match after they both won.
Azarenka beat 11th seed Daria Kasatkina 6-2 6-4 while Svitolina ended Sofia Kenin’s resurgence with a 7-6 (3) 6-2 success.
Fourth seed Jessica Pegula also eased through.
