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Ashleigh Barty will take on Angelique Kerber in an exciting semi-final match at Wimbledon. AP
Today’s match-ups promise a lot of action, with number 1 in the world rankings Ashleigh Barty facing three-time Grand Slam winner Angelique Kerber in the first competition of the day, while second seeded Aryna Sabalenka seeded eighth in the following duel Karolina Pliskova meets. Stay tuned, we’re bringing you the latest updates, live score and more!
Kerber hits a long forehand but then immediately makes up for her mistake with a great serve that Barty doesn’t return. 15-15. Kerber then hits a backhand out of the way, there was very little pressure on her, she should probably have made the shot. 15-30. One point apiece for either player, and Barty has a breakpoint! OH WOW! Barty collapses after managing to predict where Kerber’s punch would land to hit a thundering forehand winner.
Ashleigh Barty gets us going on serve, but Angelique Kerber takes the first point after one Double fault. Kerber then hits a forehand return to make it 15-15 before Barty’s mistake makes it 15-30. Another bug, and Kerber has two breakpoints. Barty hits a fiery serve in the middle of the square and Kerber can’t return. 30-40. Barty hits an inside-out forehand winner and we’re on two! Great job by Barty racing towards the net and hitting a backhand winner. Advantage for the Australian. And it holds after Kerber has hit the net!
One is motivated by an important anniversary, another has rediscovered the grass for its shape definitely greener, a third is driven by « brutal » critics and the fourth , the girl with the tiger tattoo, finds herself in unknown Grand Slam territory.
The stage is ready for the women’s semi-finals at Wimbledon on Thursday with three of the participants who are new to the experience. </ Headlines like the 2019 champion, Simona Halep, the four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka and the seven-time Wimbledon winner Serena Williams are missing, but there is the current world number one and two former number one among the last four.
Ashleigh Barty’s duel with Angelique Kerber would be fit for a final and would put the world number one against the 2018 Wimbledon champion.
Today’s match-ups promise a lot of action, with number 1 being the World ranking Ashleigh Barty meets three-time Grand Slam winner Angelique Kerber in the first competition of the day, while second seeded Aryna Sabalenka meets eighth seeded Karolina Pliskova in the following duel. Stay tuned, we’re bringing you the latest updates, the live score and more!
Preview: In a way, Ash Barty’s rise to # 1 in the women’s rankings can be traced back to a loss to Angelique Kerber three years ago. </ Barty played her first final in her native Australia and was beaten in straight sets by Kerber in Sydney International in 2018 – and came with a new understanding of what it takes to get to the top.
« I remember me that I got off the pitch and felt like my level was close, but it wasn’t good enough, « said Barty. « That was almost a small reset, because I knew I wasn’t far away, but I’m not there yet. »
Now Barty is not far from her first Wimbledon title. But not there yet, because Kerber stands in her way again in the semi-finals on Thursday.
« I think the challenge of playing against her in a Wimbledon semi-final is an incredible opportunity that I’m really looking forward to » said Barty, who won her only Grand Slam title at the 2019 French Open. « It’s not scary or overwhelming, it’s just exciting. »
Kerber is the only remaining ex-women’s champion in the tournament. The other two semi-finalists, No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka and Karolina Pliskova, are among the last four at the All England Club for the first time.
The 33-year-old Kerber is only placed 25th at Wimbledon, but appears to have won a warm-up tournament to have rediscovered her best turf form in Bad Homburg.
She has a 2-2 career record against Barty, but their last meeting was in 2018 and they have never played on turf. Kerber believes that the fact that her name is already on the Wimbledon trophy could give her an advantage.
« Of course it’s a good feeling to already have the trophy at home and to have won it here, » she said. « Now I’m back. I’m coming after a really difficult time. I haven’t played well in the last few months. Well, winning a tournament at home last week, now playing well here again, that means a lot to me. » For her part, Barty has never looked closely at the Venus Rosewater Dish, as the women’s trophy is called.
« I think it’s like a court case downstairs, » said Barty after her quarterfinal win over the Australian Ajla Tomljanovic: « I can’t say I went upstairs and kind of looked inside. Maybe one day I’ll get a chance to see it. «
Changed date:
July 08, 2021 6:07:42 PM IST
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World number one Djokovic, who is on the hunt for a sixth Wimbledon and a record-breaking 20th major, is already halfway to becoming only the third man to complete a calendar Grand Slam.
Defending champion Djokovic survived a nervous third set and defeated the 114th American qualifier Denis Kudla with 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (9/7) and thus secured a place in the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the 55th time .
Former world number one Pliskova, who is now in 13th place, will face second-placed Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka on Thursday for a place in the final on Saturday.
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