Maria Sharapova vs. Sabine Lisicki – Semi-final Preview: Wimbledon Championships 2011
All eyes are anxiously waiting to see the former world number one, Maria Sharapova of Russia, in action after a long time in the semi-final of the Wimbledon Championships on Thursday afternoon, as she gets ready to face the German
wildcard, Sabine Lisicki, for a place in the final of the mega event.
The highly anticipated contest will be staged on the historical Centre Court of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, England, with two of the finest women tennis player competing to get a shot at the
prestigious Wimbledon trophy.
The former Wimbledon champion, Sharapova, has been observed to be in her vintage form throughout the tournament and hasn’t dropped a single set en route to the semi-finals. The Russian has come up to be the most dominating force
in the star-studded field at Wimbledon, as she completed her demolition job in straight sets in all the five contests she took part in the earlier rounds.
Sharapova continued her blistering form in the quarter-final clash against the 24th seed, Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia to book a date with Lisicki in the semis of the Grand Slam event. She absolutely outclassed Cibulkova
in straight sets 6-1, 6-1, to recognise herself as one of the strongest candidate for the title.
On the other hand, the German sensation, Lisicki, has been in her best form ever, reaching her first Grand Slam semi-final. Ranked at number 62 in the world, Lisicki outplayed the hot favourite Frenchwomen, Marion Bartoli, in the
quarter-final to meet Sharapova in the final four of the tournament. The German got under the spot light when she defeated this year’s French Open champion, Li Na of China, in the second round of the tournament to stun the tennis fans all over the world. She
has carried on with her thrust throughout the tournament and has become one of the favourites for winning the Grand Slam title.
Fifth seeded Sharapova bagged the Wimbledon title way back in 2004 and has since never gotten close to repeating the similar feat. She was ejected in the third round of the tournament last year, when the eventual champion, Serena
Williams, defeated her straight sets 7–6(9), 6–4. The Russian has exhibited her dominance in the tournament all way to the semi-finals and it is anticipated that she will take the Wimbledon crown this time round.
Although Lisicki has already won a WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) singles title this year, the German has suffered a defeat at the hands of Sharapova earlier this season at Miami, when the Russian humiliated her with a 6-2, 6-0,
win in the round of 32 of the tournament. Certainly Lisicki desires to put up a much improved performance against Sharapova on Thursday and with the brilliant she is currently having, it can be said that the German might take down the fifth seed in the contest
to reach her first ever Grand Slam final.
Lisicki is the first German after Steffi Graf to reach the semi-finals of Wimbledon Championships in twelve years. Although Sharapova is the hot favourite for winning the clash on Thursday, Lisicki is equally worthy of coming up
with a surprise victory and continue her dream run into the final of the mega event.
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