Angelique Kerber outplays Sabine Lisicki to qualify for the semis – Wimbledon Championships 2012
World number eight, Angelique Kerber, outplayed the 15th seed competitor, Sabine Lisicki, in an all-German quarter-final clash in Wimbledon Championships on Tuesday. The 24-year-old Kerber won the opening set 6-3, but
was forced to bow down in the second set tie-breaker 6-7(7). However, she bounced back in the final set to oust the 22-year-old compatriot with scores of 7-5.
Lisicki began her quarter-final campaign in dismal fashion; dropped the opening serve game and going down 0-2 at the start. She was further pushed on the back foot with another breakpoint for the left-handed Kerber in the fifth
game that helped her to a resounding lead of 4-1.
Lisicki was high on confidence after beating the last year’s finalist, Maria Sharapova, in the fourth round of the contest to post the biggest upset of the tournament. Sharapova was the top seeded player and ranked number one in
the world. So, it was something massive for the German on her comeback from an ankle injury.
The first set proved to be a let off for Lisicki as she lost three breakpoints and won just one that wasn’t enough to hold her compatriot from running away with the show. The opening set contest lasted 32 minutes and was played
at the Centre Court of All England Lawn Tennis Club.
Kerber continued her onslaught in the second set and gained an unassailable lead of 3-0 at the start, courtesy to a breakthrough in the second game. However, her compatriot fought back to win a breakpoint in the fifth game and
continued to resist. With no more breakthroughs, a tie-breaker round was enforced and much to the surprise of everyone, Lisicki prevailed in that enforcing the third set into play.
Both players swapped breakpoints at three different occurrences in the final before Kerber broke serve in the 11th game and held her own in the following battle to book a spot in the last four.
In an interview after the match, Kerber stated, “Sabine saved the match points in the second set and was playing unbelievable in the third set - the final from Eastbourne was in my mind, where I lost with match points also. It
was a very tough, tough and important match for me. I think everybody saw it was a very tough fight from both of us. I had no chance in some games because she served so well. She made the points and I had no plan. But I knew I just needed to play until the
last point."
Angelique Kerber goes head-to-head with Agnieszka Radwanska for a spot in the final showdown.
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