The 2017 Wimbledon Championships is gradually entering its final stages with the fourth round almost over and 15 of the 16 quarter-finalists of both Singles tournaments confirmed. So far, the Women’s tournaments has seen a number of exciting matchups with a number of upsets; the biggest one of them being Magdalena Rybarikova’s shock win over third seed Karolina Pliskova in the second round.
The Slovak defeated qualifier Petra Martic in the fourth round to reach her first ever Grand Slam quarter-final.
The Women’s tournament has seen some brilliant performers as well with a few of the top ranked players producing commendable performances in the tournament. Here are the top five female performers of the Wimbledon so far.
#5. Coco Vandeweghe
The strong-serving American made headlines by reaching the semi-finals of the Australian Open which also helped her to enter the Top 20 of the WTA rankings for the first time. Vandeweghe also reached the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open but had a disappointing French Open where she was comprehensively beaten by World No.192 Magdalena Rybarikova in the first round. Vandeweghe had a decent build-up to Wimbledon by reaching the quarter-finals of the Birmingham Classic where she was retired against Garbine Muguruza.
The 25-year old began her Wimbledon by defeating Germany’s Mona Barthel in straight sets after a difficult first set. This was followed by a second round win over another German, Tatjana Maria. The 24th seed then defeated compatriot Alison Riske in the third round in straight sets to set up a fourth round clash against former World No.1 and 5th seed Caroline Wozniacki. The first set was a humdinger with Vandeweghe edging out the Dane 7-6. Wozniacki fought hard in the second set but the big serving Vandeweghe prevailed 6-4 to enter her second Wimbledon quarter-final and third Grand Slam quarter-final. In the quarter-finals, Coco Vandeweghe will get a chance to avenge her first round French Open defeat as she will be up against Magdalena Rybarikova.
#4. Garbine Muguruza
The Spaniard dropped out of the Top 10 after an overwhelming defeat to Kristina Mladenovic in the fourth round of the French Open, thus failing to defend her winners’ points from last year. Muguruza did not have a very good build-up to Wimbledon as well as she lost in the semi-finals of the Birmingham Classic to Ashleigh Barty which was followed by a disastrous second round defeat at the Eastbourne International at the hands of Barbora Strycova where she won only one game.
The World No.14 began her Wimbledon campaign with a convincing straight-set win over Ekaterina Alexandrova by the scoreline of 6-2, 6-4 following which, she defeated 2009 US Open semi-finalist Yanina Wickmayer in the second round by the same score.
In the third round, the 2016 French Open champion trounced former French Open quarter-finalist Sorana Cirstea 6-2, 6-2 to set up a clash against top seed Angelique Kerber. Against Kerber, Muguruza dropped her first set of the tournament but came back to take the second set 6-4.
Muguruza eventually went on to win the third set to all but dethrone Kerber from the No.1 ranking and enter her second Wimbledon quarter-final. In the quarter-finals, the former finalist here will face two-time Grand Slam champion and 7th seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, who will be playing her fourth Wimbledon quarter-final.
#3. Venus Williams
The five-time Wimbledon champion had a brilliant start to the year by reaching the final of the Australian Open following which, she reached the quarter-finals of the Indian Wells Masters and the semi-finals of the Miami Masters. Venus reached the fourth round of the French Open where she was beaten by eventual semi-finalist Timea Bacsinszky.
The 37-year old was seeded 10th at Wimbledon and began her tournament by defeating Belgian Elise Mertens 7-6, 6-4 in a tight first round match which was followed by surviving a scare in the second round against China’s Wang Qiang where she was a set down.
Venus defeated Japan’s Naomi Osaka in the third round in straight sets and was up against 27th seed Croat Ana Konjuh in the fourth round. Venus produced a spectacular performance against Konjuh, defeating her 6-3, 6-2 to reach her 13th Wimbledon quarter-final where she will be facing French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko.
#2. Simona Halep
The Romanian has been in terrific form this year so far and was on the brink of reaching the No.1 ranking at the French Open only to lose in the final against Latvian Jelena Ostapenko. Prior to Wimbledon, Halep reached the quarter-finals of the Eastbourne International where she was beaten by eventual runner-up Caroline Wozniacki despite winning the first set.
The World No.2 began her Wimbledon campaign by defeating Australian qualifier Maria Erakovic in the first round 6-4, 6-1. In the second round, Halep was up against World No.97 Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil where she won a hard fought first set 7-5 before comfortably clinching the second 6-3.
The 25-year old defeated Chinese Peng Shuai in the third round to set up a fourth round clash against former World No.1 Victoria Azarenka who was playing her first Grand Slam after coming back from her pregnancy break. The first set was pretty exciting with neither player showing any sign of giving in but it was the Romanian who won it in a tie-break.
The second set was pretty one-sided as the French Open runner-up totally outplayed the Belarusian to reach the quarter-finals where she will face Johanna Konta. Provided Halep beats Konta, she will overtake Angelique Kerber as the World No.1.
#1. Svetlana Kuznetsova
The two-time Grand Slam champion has produced some fine performances this year including reaching the final of the Indian Wells Masters but hardly any of them can better the kind of performances she has been showing at Wimbledon so far.
The 7th seeded Russian began her Wimbledon campaign by defeating Tunisian Ons Jabeur in the first round in straight sets following which, she defeated compatriot Ekaterina Makarova in the second round, also in straight sets that included a bagel in the first set.
In the third round, Kuznetsova defeated qualifier Polona Herzog of Slovenia 6-4, 6-0 to set up a fourth round clash against 2012 Wimbledon runner-up and 9th seed Aga Radwanska.
The match turned out to be a completely one-sided affair as Kuznetsova thrashed the Pole in the first set 6-2 before taking the second set 6-4 to reach her first Wimbledon quarter-final in a decade and her fourth overall. Kuznetsova will take on Garbine Muguruza in the quarter-finals and there is a very good chance that she may reach her first Wimbledon semi-final.
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