In Bad Homburg, Iga Swiatek reaches first grass-court semifinal ahead of Wimbledon

BAD HOMBURG, Germany (AP) — Top-ranked Iga Swiatek seems to be finding her groove on grass ahead of Wimbledon.

Three times a Roland Garros winner on clay and once a US Open winner on the New York hard courts, Swiatek played her first tour-level, grass-court quarterfinal on Thursday against Anna Blinkova at the Bad Homburg Open.

The Polish player looked like she belonged there in a straightforward 6-3, 6-2 win that showcased her abilities on the return as Swiatek broke Blinkova's serve to love three times.

Standing between Swiatek and a first grass final is Lucia Bronzetti after the Italian won her quarterfinal match, 6-4, 6-3, against Varvara Gracheva, the Russia-born player who was playing her first tournament since switching allegiance to France.

The Bad Homburg Open is a warm-up for Wimbledon, where Swiatek's best result in three appearances was a fourth-round appearance in 2021. She was the junior Wimbledon champion in 2018.

American player Emma Navarro faces either Liudmila Samsonova or Katerina Siniakova in the second semifinal match.

Navarro was losing 7-6 (2), 1-1 to Rebeka Masarova when Masarova retired after jarring her left knee while stretching for the ball. Their match had earlier been interrupted for a rain delay after just four points had been played in the first game.