Top seed and title favourite Aryna Sabalenka survived an almighty scare against world number 104 Laura Siegemund before reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals.
Sabalenka, the runaway world number one and a three-time grand slam champion, had not dropped a set on her way to the quarter-finals.
But 37-year-old Siegemund, who had never previously been beyond the second round, almost produced one of the all-time Centre Court shocks after taking the first set and then twice leading by a break in the decider.
However, Sabalenka kept her nerve and her emotions in check as she dug in for a 4-6 6-2 6-4 victory in just under three hours.
"I need some time to cool down and recover, she pushed me so much," said Sabalenka.
"After the first set I was looking at my box and saying 'book the tickets, we're out of this place'."
German women aged 37 have been the great disruptors of the English summer, with Tatiana Maria claiming a surprise win at Queen's Club before Siegemund's unlikely run here.
A renowned doubles player, her game is built around slices, angles, drop shots and being nimble on her feet.
But the two clubbing backhand winners with which she sealed two breaks of serve in the opening three games were straight from the Sabalenka playbook.
It was a drop shot which brought up another break point, which was secured when an increasingly glum-looking Sabalenka went long, and when the Belarusian dumped a forehand into the net for the umpteenth time she found herself a set down for the first time this fortnight.
Sabalenka disappeared off court at the changeover, and when play resumed she moved a break up, only for Siegemund to claw it straight back.
Siegemund was beginning to deploy the dark arts she has built a reputation for, taking an age between points as Sabalenka waited to serve.
It was clearly irritating the 27-year-old, but she took her frustration out on the ball with some trademark power hitting eventually levelling the match - the first set Siegemund had dropped this Championships.
Yet the underdog bit back in the deciding set, and when she broke for 4-3 she was two games away from a seismic shock.
However, Sabalenka broke back immediately and then roared with delight after putting away a smash on match point to reach the semi-finals for the 10th time in the last 11 grand slams.
Her opponent will be Amanda Anisimova, who collapsed flat on her face in sheer relief after she survived an astonishing and unexpected fightback from Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to secure a 6-1 7-6(9) victory and reach the semi-finals for the first time.
With the American 13th seed leading 6-1 5-2, Pavlyuchenkova was left staring at defeat and wishing she could disappear through a Wimbledon trapdoor as she was bamboozled by a cocktail of blazing backhands, ferocious forehands and nifty footwork.
![Amanda Anisimova (USA) [13] after winning match point during her Ladies' Singles Quarter-Final match against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova during day nine of The Championships Wimbledon 2025 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 8, 2025 in London, England.](https://www.rte.ie/images/0022d945-614.jpg?ratio=1.78)
But just when it seemed that Anisimova had one foot in the last four, and Pavlyuchenkova would be left to lick some very painful wounds, the 34-year-old Russian's display suddenly caught fire and she won three games on the trot.
Pavlyuchenkova saved two match points in the process in the 10th game, including hitting a gutsy dropshot winner that completely caught Anisimova by surprise.
With the world number 50 suddenly believing she could turn the match around, emotional Anisimova looked like she was on the verge of breaking down, mouthing to her support group "one more point" as the Russian kept earning set points in the tiebreak.
Anisimova somehow saved all five set points against her before finally sealing victory when Pavlyuchenkova netted a service return on her opponent's fourth match point.
Anisimova's victory means she will next meet world number one Sabalenka for a place in the final.
A year after the American's attempt to qualify for the grasscourt major ended in failure, the 23-year-old was celebrating a remarkable turnaround of fortunes.
She was joined on Court One by her young nephew Jackson, who could be heard shouting out to his aunt during the contest.
"It was such a battle today. I was up in the second set and she started playing some unreal tennis," Anisimova told the crowd with Jackson by her side.
"I just kept fighting and that tiebreak was super stressful, but I'm just so happy I got it done. I'm happy to be in the semi-final for the first time, it's super special."
"It has been an extraordinary year for me with so many highs. I am enjoying every step of the way and, even in times like today, I keep reminding myself to enjoy the moment."
Additional reporting: Reuters
