Iga Swiatek produced a ruthless display to crush Belinda Bencic 6-2, 6-0 on Thursday and reach her first Wimbledon final.
The five-time Grand Slam champion needed just 71 minutes on a scorching Centre Court to overpower the Swiss player, who returned to tennis last year after becoming a mother.
Swiatek, seeded eighth, said she never dreamed of making a Wimbledon final and was thrilled by her progress on grass, a surface that has often troubled her in the past.
Despite flying under the radar while top seeds fell early, Swiatek has dropped only one set all tournament and climbs back into the world’s top four.
She will face American 13th seed Amanda Anisimova on Saturday, after Anisimova upset world number one Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to reach her first Wimbledon final.
Swiatek has won four French Open titles on clay and the 2022 US Open on hard courts but had never advanced past the Wimbledon quarter-finals until this year.
