Wimbledon: World No. 1 Barty makes quarterfinals for the first time, ends nine-year wait

Australia's Ash Barty was made to work but after overcoming a loose patch in the match, she defeated 7-5 6-3 win over French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova to advance to the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the first time.

Here serves were not as venomous as they are and strokes, more often than not, were inaccurate but the world no.1 finally ended a nine-year wait since making her main draw debut in 2012 to finally put herself in the last-eight mix at the grasscourt major.

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Facing an opponent who until last Tuesday had never played a main draw singles match on turf, Barty had been expected to easily make her greater grasscourt pedigree count.

Yet she was the one who came unstuck first with Krejcikova threatening to win her 16th match on the trot after seizing the early initiative when she broke for a 2-1 lead in the first set.

But in the battle of the world No. 1's, with Krejcikova sitting on top of the women's doubles standings, Barty bided her time before finally drawing level at 4-4 when the Czech netted a backhand.

Barty struck a huge blow in Krejcikova's hopes of becoming the first woman since Serena Williams in 2015 to chalk up the Roland Garros-Wimbledon double in the same year when she broke the Czech to love to take the first set.

A flurry of breaks midway through the second set failed to fluster Barty too much and after sealing victory with a thumping ace, she puffed out her cheeks before breaking into a smile - the relief at finally climbing over that fourth round hurdle clear for all to see.

She will next face either British wildcard Emma Raducanu or fellow Australian Ajla Tomljanovic for a place in the semi-finals.

(With inputs from Reuters)