Iga Swiatek thrashes Belinda Bencic to reach first Wimbledon final

Iga Swiatek is through to her first Wimbledon final after thrashing Belinda Bencic 6-2, 6-0 in 71 minutes. She will meet Amanda Anisimova in Saturday's showpiece event, after the American knocked out world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka in a two-and-a-half hour battle earlier in the day.

Swiatek, a five-time Grand Slam champion, has always told herself than she struggled on grass. Four of her five Majors have come on clay at Roland Garros. But those doubts have been buried six foot beneath the soil in SW19 with such a dominant performance.

Swiatek romped to 3-0 lead inside 10 minutes but then the match was brought to an abrupt halt. A spectator fell ill in the shade behind the umpire's chair and medical personnel attended the scene.

After 10 minutes of treatment, the fan was carried out on a makeshift stretcher. They were the third person to require medical attention on Centre Court today.

The incident had all the potential to kill Swiatek's early momentum. But while Bencic was taking a break out of the glaring sun in her courtside seat, Swiatek danced around her baseline, sidestepping like a crab and practicing shots without a ball.

The Pole was seriously locked in. After watching top seed Sabalenka be knocked out earlier in the day - this was a huge opportunity she could not miss.

Both players held serve after the restart but then Swiatek found her groove again and took the first set 6-2.

Bencic was powerless to stop the Swiatek train that steamrolled straight through her in the second set. Swiatek was picking any spot she wanted, especially with the forehand. And she didn't drop a game to wrap up the second set 6-0.

During her on-court interview, Swiatek said: "I never even dreamt that this would be possible for me to play the final. I am super excited and proud of myself. Tennis keeps surprising me.

"I thought I had experienced everything on a court but I didn't experience playing well on grass. This is the first time."