Spaniard Bouzas reaches Wimbledon last 16 for first time

Bouzas, who had never gone beyond the third round at a major, battled through a rain-hit encounter to claim one of the most significant wins of her career.

The match was suspended for nearly two hours due to rain, with Bouzas leading 6-1, 0-3 at the time.

The Galician player capitalized on the inconsistency of Yastremska, an aggressive competitor prone to highs and lows, to secure her place among the tournament’s last 16.

After a flawless first set in which she committed just four unforced errors, Bouzas saw Yastremska raise her level.

The Ukrainian, who has fought her way back into the game after being cleared in a doping case, doubled her tally of winners and raced to a 3-0 lead before the rain arrived.

The umpire halted play to check the court conditions, and soon the players were forced off as heavy rain swept over London, prompting fans to open their umbrellas.

When the match resumed nearly two hours later, Yastremska maintained her momentum, winning three of the next four games to force a deciding set.

But in the final set, Yastremska’s errors resurfaced, while Bouzas remained solid and composed, buoyed by support from fellow Spaniards in the small stands of Court 16.

As her team on the bench waited anxiously for the final point, Bouzas threw down her racket and held her head in disbelief upon sealing victory, finally breaking through the third-round ceiling that had stopped her on three previous occasions.

The win propels Bouzas into the world’s top 50 for the first time, as she climbs 12 places in the rankings during this tournament.

She will next face Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova, who eliminated Australia’s Daria Kasatkina. The two have never met before. EFE

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