In a frustrating season, all Agnieszka Radwanska needed was a little momentum. And having returned to her favourite venue and best surface, the history-making Pole has seized it.

A runner-up in the lead-up event at Eastbourne, the 2012 Wimbledon finalist – and first from her country – is again showing the best of her flair on grass. Radwanska has dropped just 12 games in the three wins that have taken her to the last 16 of The Championships for the eighth time in her career.

With her longest match at this year’s Wimbledon lasting just 69 minutes, the No.13 seed and former world No.2 is simply finding a way to win. Even after being 0-4 down in the second set against Casey Dellacqua, Radwanska reeled off six consecutive games to claim a 6-1, 6-4 victory. 

It was especially pleasing, given her fourth-round exit at the Australian Open and an even more disappointing first-round loss at the French Open, which contributed to a rare slump outside the world’s top 10.

“I just feel much better than in the beginning of the year,” Radwanska said of her turnaround on grass. “I think the surface also makes a huge difference. Everything is just easier for me.”

Known for her clever tactics, the 26-year-old will recognise an opportunity too. While many were eyeing her potential fourth-round meeting with defending champion Petra Kvitova, Radwanska instead faces Jelena Jankovic, who upset the No.2 seed.

Radwanska not only enters the match with a pleasing 5-2 head-to-head record over Jankovic, but with confidence high from her recent revival. “Tennis (is on such) a high level that every match is really tight. When you have everything 100 per cent, everything is turning against you. And you are losing first tournament and then the second one. Then it's just keep going the wrong way,” she explained. “That's why I just turned it around these things just few weeks ago. Now everything is in a good way.”

Radwanska is now the second-highest seed in the bottom half of the draw, behind No.5 seed Caroline Wozniacki.

The biggest surprise is world No.122 Olga Govortsova, who progressed through qualifying and upset No.25 seed Alize Cornet en route to her third-round match with Magdalena Rybarikova. The 26-year-old Belarusian hit five aces and 18 winners to claim a 7-6(4), 6-3 win over her higher-ranked opponent, earning a fourth round meeting with Madison Keys.

The big-hitting Keys, who was a semi-finalist at the Australian Open, is also enjoying her best run at the Championships, with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Tatjana Maria taking 69 minutes. With 42 aces over three matches, the 20-year-old leads the Wimbledon women’s field in that important statistic. “When I'm serving well, I'm definitely happy with how I'm playing, and it usually means everything else is working pretty well,” she said.

Timea Bacsinszky will be equally pleased with her progress. Following a career-best Grand Slam showing as a semi-finalist at the French Open, the No.15 seed stunned 2013 beaten finalist Sabine Lisicki with a 6-3, 6-2 win. The 26-year-old Swiss is yet to drop a set at the Championships. 

Bacsinszky’s next challenge is against Monica Niculescu, the world No. 48 Romanian proving too tough for Kristyna Pliskova. Niculescu played the important points more decisively to claim a 6-3, 7-5 win in an hour and 42 minutes.