Goerges grounds Vekic for first Grand Slam quarterfinal

LONDON, Great Britain - Julia Goerges' breakout season continued on Monday with her latest milestone.

In a year which has already her make her Top 10 debut, the German No.13 seed reached the first Grand Slam quarterfinal of her career with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Donna Vekic at Wimbledon.

The 29-year-old was previously 0-5 in her career in fourth round matches at Grand Slams, but powered past the Croatian World No.55 to book her spot in the last eight opposite No.20 seed Kiki Bertens.

"This is for me something that's pretty special. It doesn't actually feel that special. It's just another round in a tournament. For me, it's a new situation, but it doesn't feel that strange," the German told reporters after the match.

"I've played some fourth rounds in the other Grand Slams already, except here. For me, maybe it's a bit sweeter because I didn't quite expect it here, but it's nice. I figured out probably a lot of times before how to not reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal, so I think I've done it pretty well today. I'm very proud and pleased with it."

Behind 30 winners and six aces, the German never dropped serve over the course of the 75-minute victory, despite being pushed hard behind her delivery in both sets.

Vekic created nine break points over the course of the match, but Goerges saved them all - as winning a pair of marathon games in each set helped her get over the finish line.

The German moved ahead in the opener after a break in the fifth game which saw a trio of both deuces and break points, and saved all four break points she faced in the opening set the next time she stepped to the line to move ahead at 4-2.

"I played pretty solid, pretty well. I didn't give her quite lot of chances on my service games. I worked out the break points pretty well," she added.

"I just tried to focus on every single round I've been playing here. It worked out very well. I think the last round showed that I really wanted to get to the second week, the same way today."

She held on from there and added an insurance break to wrap up the opener, before a second set which proved a near carbon-copy of the first. 

A marathon, six-deuce fifth game proved the highlight of the second set, as Goerges saved a pair of break points which helped her keep an early lead she held after breaking Vekic in her first service game of the set. 

She later saved three more break points in the seventh game to bring her total to nine in the match, and quickly built a 0-40 lead in the final game before sealing victory on her second match point. 

The duo have met twice previously, with both meetings coming on clay. Bertens defeated Goerges earlier this season to win the Volvo Car Open in Charleston - her first Premier title - with the loss of just three games.

On the Dutch No.1, Goerges assessed: "It's a completely different story on grass than on clay. We know each other pretty well. We played some doubles together. We go for dinner sometimes, as well. We know each other not only on court, but off-court as well.

"I just try to focus on my game. I think that's pretty important, to really know what I want to play tomorrow, how aggressive I want to be, and also how to control my balls, not being too aggressive, but also not too passive, because she's also a great player in dictating the game, creating opportunities on court and angles.

"I think it's a great opportunity for both of us. It's already a great tournament for both of us, coming that far probably with the record we've had here."