WIMBLEDON, England --Their careers, on an adjusted curve for age, trace eerily similar trajectories.

Victoria Azarenka has collected $36 million in prize money, 21 titles, 593 victories and has risen to be the Hologic WTA Tour’s No.1 player. Elina Svitolina, five years younger, is at $21 million, 17 titles, 448 wins and has been as high as No.3. But in the critical area of motherhood, it’s all even; Azarenka’s son Leo is 6 and Svitolina and ATP star Gael Monfils’ daughter Skai is 8 months old.

Wimbledon: Scores | Draws | Order of play

They face off on Sunday in a meaningful match for both, with the winner advancing to the quarterfinals at the All England Club. Stylistically, they couldn’t be more different.

“She loves to dominate the court, tries to take the ball really early,” Svitolina said. “Me, I’m more like defensive and then offense. I’m trying to build my way.”

Wimbledon Day 6

On court, the 33-year-old Azarenka has a decisive 5-0 head-to-head advantage in matches played from 2015-2022. The most recent: the third round of the 2022 Australian Open, a 6-0, 6-2 Azarenka win.

Head to Head

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victoria azarenka
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BLR
More Head to Head

71.4% Win 5
- Matches Played

28.6% Win 2

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elina svitolina
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UKR

“She’s a very big fighter,” Azarenka said of Svitolina. “I know it’s not going to be easy match. I feel like there are two sides of the story always. When you know somebody there are no surprises, but they kind of know your game as well. She’s a very good mover. She has a great return.

“Maybe she learned some new tricks since coming back.”

After giving birth last October, Svitolina originally planned a later return to the tour. But she was hitting the ball so well this spring she decided to play in Charleston after almost exactly a year off. From there, it was two ITF events, a WTA 125 in France and appearances in Madrid and Rome. She was ranked No.508 when she scored a breakthrough in Strasbourg, winning the title. Svitolina followed that up with a quarterfinal at Roland Garros -- matching her furthest advancement.

She’s won 12 of her past 14 matches and is coming off a 7-6 (3), 6-2 third-round victory against a resurgent Sofia Kenin.

“I’m very happy for her that she had this incredible experience of having a family and the ability to come back actually very quickly on tour,” Azarenka said. “Already picked up her game at a very high level. Obviously, the results are there and showing she’s able to play against top players and win matches.

“It seems like she’s playing with not so much pressure, just kind of coming back and just gaining points and everything.”

Azarenka had already won two Australian Open titles when she left the WTA Tour to give birth. She returned in 2017 and gradually worked her way back up the rankings ladder. There was a 2018 mixed doubles final at Wimbledon with Jamie Murray and a 2019 US Open doubles final with Ashleigh Barty.

In 2020, she reached the US Open singles final, losing in three sets to Naomi Osaka -- her first major singles final in seven years. In 2021 she made the Indian Wells final, her second WTA 1000 final since giving birth. This past January, she made the semifinals at the Australian Open for the first time since she won her second major title there a decade ago.

Svitolina’s best Grand Slam singles results were a pair of semifinals at Wimbledon and the US Open in 2019. At the age of 28, she seems to have plenty of time to match or exceed those efforts.

“I feel different,” Svitolina said. “I feel that my mindset is different right now. I’m more patient as well. I strike the ball better right now. Now is the matter of adjusting my game and accepting smart scheduling as well, to not play too many tournaments.

“The goal is to be always fresh, always motivated for every practice, for every tournament. That’s why right now I think we are on a good way, on a good path.”

2021 Doha Highlights: Azarenka perseveres to defeat Svitolina in QF

Here’s a look at the three other fourth-round matches to be played Sunday from the top half of the draw:

No.1 Iga Swiatek vs. No.14 Belinda Bencic

The head-to-head edge belongs to Swiatek, 2-1, most recently a United Cup match back in January that went to the World No.1, 6-3, 7-6 (3). Bencic, however, has a win in their only major meeting, 7-6 (12), 6-3 at the 2021 US Open.

No.4 Jessica Pegula vs. Lesia Tsurenko

One of two Ukraine players left in this half of the draw, Tsurenko produced a fabulous, record-breaking 20-18 tiebreak to defeat Anna Bogdan in three sets. Tsurenko beat Pegula in their only meeting, in three sets at 2019 Indian Wells.

No.32 Marie Bouzkova vs. Marketa Vondrousova

Bouzkova scored the biggest upset on the women’s side, defeating No.5 seed Caroline Garcia in three sets Saturday. Vondrousova, who has knocked off No.12 Veronika Kudermetova and No.20 Donna Vekic, has a 2-1 head-to-head advantage. She beat Bouzkova 6-1, 6-1 earlier this year at Indian Wells.