By Shrivathsa Sridhar LONDON (Reuters) -Aryna Sabalenka maintained her stranglehold over Belgian Elise Mertens with a hard-fought 6-4 7-6(4) victory on Sunday to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals as she bids for a maiden title at the grasscourt Grand Slam.

World number one Aryna Sabalenka overcomes a battling Elise Mertens to reach the quarter-finals and stay on course for a first Wimbledon title.

No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka earned a hard-fought win over Elise Mertens on Sunday at Wimbledon to reach her 11th consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal.