Polish top seed Iga Swiatek won her 37th consecutive match to advance to third round of Wimbledon on Thursday, defeating Dutch lucky loser Lesley Pattinama Kerkhove 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.
The world number one has equalled the longest winning streak of 37 wins in a row, registered by Martina Hingis in 1997.
Swiatek, who has won her past six tournaments, including the French Open, broke three times in the first set as both players struggled to hold serve.
A single break in the seventh game of the second set gave Pattinama Kerkhove the opening she needed to get back on level terms.
Swiatek found her groove again in the decider as the shadows lengthened on Court 1, sealing victory on his first match point.
She will take on France’s Alize Cornet for a place in the last 16.
(With inputs from AFP)
