Sensation at Wimbledon: Solana Sierra as a lucky loser in the round of 16!

Sensation at Wimbledon: Solana Sierra as a lucky loser in the round of 16!

Solana Sierra from Argentina made tennis history with her surprising advance to the round of 16 at Wimbledon. She is the first player to advance to this prestigious tournament as a lucky loser after losing to Talia Gibson of Australia in the third round of qualifying despite leading 5-3 in the deciding set. Only a short time later she was given the opportunity to demonstrate her skills in the main draw as Greet Minnen withdrew due to a back injury.

In her early rounds, Sierra, who is only 21 years old, has enjoyed impressive victories. First she defeated Olivia Gadecki 6-2, 7-6(8) and then she decided her match against Katie Boulter on court no. 1 with 6-7(7), 6-2, 6-1 for themselves. Pagina 12 reports that this achievement represents a significant milestone for Sierra and Argentina: she is the first Argentine woman to reach the third round at Wimbledon since Gisela Dulko in 2009 reached.

An exciting duel awaits

On Sunday, Sierra will face German player Laura Siegemund, who is three places ahead of her in the WTA rankings and is 16 years older. Siegemund has already qualified by defeating 2023 US Open champion Madison Keys 6-3, 6-3. The match between Sierra and Siegemund could be a stepping stone to the quarterfinals, where the winner may face world number one Aryna Sabalenka.

Excitement surrounding the match is high as Sierra has been preparing for grass in recent weeks after boasting a 33-12 record this year - including a WTA 125 title in Antalya and two ITF victories. In the current phase of the tournament she has celebrated her first two tour level victories, which has boosted her confidence.

Background and challenges

Sierra has only played four tournaments on grass so far in her career, including the 2021 junior events. To best prepare for Wimbledon, she spent a week focused on the grass surface and is confident her game is suited to this type of surface. Despite her successes, she has had to overcome some challenges in the short time leading up to the tournament; She had to change accommodation three times before finally moving to her fourth temporary home.

This year, Sierra has risen from No. 167 to the top 100 of the WTA rankings. Her biggest inspiration is Gabriela Sabatini, who resigned in 1996 when Sierra was not yet born. While the unexpected win as a lucky loser is a welcome financial boost - at over £152,000 she has earned almost four times what she would have received for reaching the final qualifying round - she remains humble in her approach and goals.

With her impressive breakthrough, Solana Sierra is setting the course for a promising future not only for herself, but also for Argentine tennis. Her Wimbledon journey may have just begun and the tennis world will be watching with excitement to see how she fares against Laura Siegemund.

Thanks to her determination and constant training at the famous Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, Sierra seems ready to continue her story and possibly break even more records. WTA Tennis highlights that this is the first time Sierra has won main draw matches at this level, highlighting her steady rise.