Pavlyuchenkova back in Wimbledon quarterfinals after 9 years

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova overcame a line-calling technology malfunction en route to defeating local favorite Sonay Kartal 7-6 (3), 6-4 on Sunday to make her second Wimbledon quarterfinal nine years after her first appearance.

Pavlyuchenkova last made the quarterfinals at the All England Club in 2016, when she lost to eventual champion Serena Williams. The nine-year span between Wimbledon quarterfinal appearances is tied for the second longest by any woman in the Open era, after Svetlana Kuznetsova went 10 years between her appearances in 2007 and 2017.

“I always thought I was not good enough on grass so this is incredible for me. Especially with me getting older, I am so impressed and proud for competing with the younger girls,” the 34-year-old Pavlyuchenkova said in her on-court interview.

Pavlyuchenkova won in straight sets despite facing adversity that included a Hawk-Eye glitch and tough conditions that necessitated the closing of the Centre Court roof.

Pavlyuchenkova had reached game point at 4-4 in the opening set when Kartal hit a shot that looked clearly long. There was no call from the automated line-calling technology — adopted by the All England Club for the first time this year to replace line judges — and Pavlyuchenkova stopped play.

Television replays showed that Kartal’s shot was well out, but after seeking advice via telephone, chair umpire Nico Helwerth said that because the Hawk-Eye technology had been unable to track the shot, the point had to be replayed.

Pavlyuchenkova went on to have her serve broken and was clearly fuming during the changeover, telling the umpire, “Because she is local, they can say whatever. You took the game away from me. They stole the game from me. You stole the game from me.”

She did recover, however, saving a set point when Kartal served at 5-4, and then winning 15 of the final 23 points to take the opening set.

“My mental toughness is getting better,” Pavlyuchenkova said. “I used to be a little bit crazy in my head! But now I am learning to fight point by point.”

Other women’s fourth-round matches on the Sunday schedule were No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka vs. No. 24 Elise Mertens, No. 13 Amanda Anisimova vs. No. 30 Linda Noskova, and lucky loser Solana Sierra vs. Laura Siegemund.

ESPN Research and Reuters contributed to this report.

Source: espn.com