Elina Svitolina, a former Wimbledon semifinalist, continued her strong performance in the major tournament after her maternity leave, defeating Belgium’s Elise Mertens, ranked 28th, with a score of 6-1, 1-6, 6-1 to advance to the third round on Thursday. Svitolina, who returned to professional competition in April after giving birth to her daughter, reached the quarter-finals at the French Open last month and showcased her skills against five-time champion Venus Williams in the first round at Wimbledon.
The 28-year-old secured the first set quickly against Mertens, breaking her serve twice, displaying flashes of the level she achieved when reaching the semifinals in 2019. However, she faced a challenge in the second set, trailing 5-0. Mertens leveled the match with a powerful forehand, but the former world number three rallied in the final set, breaking serve in the second game with a stunning backhand. She maintained her composure to clinch the victory and will face American Sofia Kenin, the former Australian Open champion, who defeated China's Wang Qianyu 6-4, 6-3.
