Mumbai: This figure accurately reflects the craziness of Wimbledon thus far: six of the top ten women have left during the first week.

Furthermore, this statistic highlights Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova's professional trajectory: after nine years, the Russian has reached her tenth Grand Slam quarter-final and her first at Wimbledon, where she defeated Sonay Kartal of Britain 7-6(3), 6-4. The 34-year-old has never been in the top ten in that decade or the one before.

The 12-time WTA titlist may count herself among the more stable CV-flaunting pros who have never been in that renowned top-10 group, having reached a career-high world No. 11 in 2021, the year she made the French Open singles final and helped Russia win the Billie Jean King Cup. For context, Jasmine Paolini and Qinwen Zheng, the current world No. 5 and 6, have entered six Grand Slam quarter-finals between them, especially considering the quantity of turnover the WTA top 10 has experienced season after season of late, and the players with Grand Slam pedigree that have landed in it.

After initially reaching a Slam quarterfinal in 2011, Pavlyuchenkova is currently in her tenth season overall and her second of this year. OptaAce claims that her nine-year hiatus between her two previous Wimbledon quarterfinal appearances is the longest in the tournament's history for women's singles, along with Mary Pierce.

As this week has demonstrated, the world No. 50's level is still sufficient to defeat Naomi Osaka, the four-time Slam champion whom Pavlyuchenkova overcame in the third round. Additionally, it was sufficient to beat Kartal, the crowd's favorite, in straight sets.

This is in spite of the fact that the electronic line calling system stole a game from her by calling a ball that wasn't called out but was, at game point in the first set, as Pavlyuchenkova exasperatingly told the chair umpire. Kartal then broke her to take the lead 5-4, after the point was replayed. Pavlyuchenkova then saved a set point and ultimately won the tiebreaker to win the set.

She was back in the quarters of a Slam later on, on a surface that has been her least productive.

In her interview during the game, she said, "I've always thought I'm not good on grass." “It’s amazing, especially as I get older and come here year after year; I'm simply so impressed and proud of myself for being able to compete with these young girls at this level.”

In some respects, her top-10 expulsion is partly explained by the fact that she has experienced ups and downs throughout her twenty-year career. This is just the second time since 2011 that she has reached two quarter-finals in the same season, having also reached the Australian Open last eight.

The Russian had her finest year four years ago, winning a gold medal in mixed doubles, reaching the quarterfinals of the Olympics in singles, and placing as a finalist in the French Open. Following that, she was drawn back by some misfortune.

After getting Covid-19 in 2022, Pavlyuchenkova was unable to attend the year-opening event in Australia. Her inconsistent season came to an end in May when she sustained a knee injury. She fell out of the top 50 for the first time since 2008 as a result of the decline in French Open points.

After her 500th career victory in May of last year, she moved back up the rankings in 2023 and reached the French Open last eight at No. 333.

Shortly after the Australian Open this year, she was found to have Lyme disease, a tick-borne disease that caused her to experience such extreme weariness and dizziness that she was unable to see clearly at times throughout practice. She understood that she needed to pay attention to her body after the "horrible" period, which lasted longer than anticipated. Also, at the age of 34, don't assume that you'll win every game or battle.

She informed the WTA, "I began to cherish every game and every moment." I was unable to even practice a few months ago. At that point, you can imagine that you will never experience this moment again.

Nine years after, Pavlyuchenkova is once again in the Wimbledon quarterfinals.

Sabalenka continues her march.

Aryna Sabalenka, who missed the previous tournament, is also returning to the Wimbledon quarterfinals. In a match that went all the way, the top player in the world defeated Belgian Elise Mertens, the 24th seed, by a score of 6-4, 7-6(4).

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