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Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Wimbledon Day 8 - Lisicki-Radwanska and Bartoli-Flipkens Semifinals Set!


Defending finalist Radwanska is into the semis again.

(23)Sabine Lisicki GER

Lisicki is into her second Wimbledon semifinal.

VS

(4)Agnieszka Radwanska POL







Flipkens is into her first Grand Slam semifinal.

2007 finalist Bartoli rekindles the magic to reach the semis.






(15)Marion Bartoli FRA

VS

(20)Kirsten Flipkens BEL

Wow...Who predicted these semifinal matchups? Some people probably picked Agnieszka Radwanska to make it through, but Sabine Lisicki, Marion Bartoli, and Kirsten Flipkens

Lisicki was the first to make it through to the semifinals, defeating Kaia Kanepi relatively easily to back up her big win over Serena in the last round. Lisicki was never really troubled in a 6-3, 6-3 win and Kanepi looked very mentally drained after reaching the quarterfinals with some big wins of her own. There was one brief moment in the second set where Lisicki dropped serve on the basis of two double faults, but recovered to win four straight games and take the match.

Radwanska defeated Li Na in a very high quality encounter that fluctuated as much as the rain delays. Li looked to have the first set in the bag serving at 5-4, but wasted 4 set points. At one point, there was an "out" call on a serve on set point for Li, but she didn't challenge. Later, TV replays on Hawkeye showed it was in! Instead, Radwanska fought pack to take the set in a tiebreak. After dropping an erratic second set 4-6, Radwanska raced to a 5-1 lead in the final set under the roof. After saving a match point to hold for 5-2, Li staved off match point after match point with gutsy plays, but finally fell on the eighth match point. Game, set, match, Miss Radwanska! 7-6(7-5), 4-6, 6-2.

Bartoli followed into the semifinals against the last American standing, Sloane Stephens. Play was suspended at deuce at 4-5 on Stephens' serve. Bartoli was the one who recovered better and broke to take the set and race to a 2-0 lead in the second. Breaks were traded back and forth, until finally Stephens held for 5-5. But Bartoli then closed it out quickly, taking the last two games and the match 6-4, 7-5.

Flipkens continued her dream run, knocking out 2011 champ Petra Kvitova to reach the semifinals. Last Wimbledon, Flipkens was ranked 262 and did not even get a spot in the qualifying draw. One year later and a titanic rise up the rankings, Flipkens is now into the semifinals of a Grand Slam for the first time. Kvitova played her customary up and down tennis from this year, taking the first set 6-4, and losing the second 3-6. Flipkens didn't crack though and held her nerve at 4-4 40-15 down in the final set. She rallied to take that game to serve for the match. She looked as calm as ever to reach triple match point on her service. The first two were saved by blistering Kvitova winners. Then BOOM, her seventh ace flew by Kvitova and a shocked Flipkens was into the Wimbledon semifinals.

So a new Grand Slam champion will be crowned at this year's Wimbledon. Who do you think will win?

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