Sensational Lisicki shocks Serena in another stunning Wimbledon upset

Sabine Lisicki of Germany

Sabine Lisicki has been a thorn in the flesh of French Open champions, more than once. In fact in three out of the four previous years, it was the German who dumped the winner in Paris out of Wimbledon. But even then, the German may not have fancied her own chances against the rampant Serena Williams.

The world No. 1 was on a 77-3 run dating back to Wimbledon last year and a 34 match unbeaten streak heading into the fourth round contest. Lisicki though turned into a smiling assassin – turning the tables on the 16-time grand slam champion with immense belief and sensational crunch time execution to match Serena’s power and guile to score a remarkable upset victory.

In a dramatic fourth round match on centre court – Lisicki pounced with vigour to snatch the first set, survived a wipe out in the middle stages before miraculously recovering twice in the final set from a break down to clinch an unbelievable yet convincing 6-2, 1-6, 6-4 victory in just over two hours. It was a great show of character, rarely seen in women’s tennis these days for Lisicki to hang with Serena under dire circumstances in the final set before scripting an enormous upset.

Williams started with customary venom to trouble Lisicki in the very first game – a forehand volley and a backhand cross court winner leaving a stinging imprint on the German. After Lisicki somehow survived to hold in the first game, Serena imposed herself with a hold to love in the next game.

The resilient German was showing immense resolve, as she survived yet another break point in the third game, before mounting an assault in the fourth. She pushed the American to six deuces in a game that lasted 18 points, before Williams pulled out a couple of big serves to keep it together at 2-2.

Serena returned the compliment in the very next game, forcing Lisicki to deuce five times in a 16 point game as the battle started to grow in intensity and length. A second serve ace helped the German stave off the American for the moment.

The world No.1 began the next game with two straight aces, but ended with four errors to surrender the first break of the afternoon. It was a sudden turn that toppled the set on its head and an annoyed Serena gifted a break at love in the eighth game to surrender the first set to Lisicki.

Not to be outdone, the irked Serena torn into her opponent like a wounded lioness to win eight games in a row from 1-1 in the second set to establish a seeming stranglehold on the match and her devastated victim. The first set was a competitive affair that lasted 44 minutes; the second was a breezy 27 minute affair that left Lisicki wondering if she was in the wrong profession.

Serena Williams

At 3-0 in the final set, logic suggested there was only one plausible result. The talented yet inconsistent German figured she had nothing to lose too. It was possibly that sense of liberation that allowed Lisicki to ambush Serena in the fifth game to somehow find a way back from 40-15 to find the break that kept her alive.

One break turned into three as Serena lost her momentum and Lisicki powered herself back into the match with some lusty hitting off both flanks. The match was suddenly on an even keel when Lisicki managed to stave off three break points in the eighth game, before holding her own.

The ninth game was a compendium of dramatic moments as Lisicki raised her game at the most opportune time to match her seasoned opponent stroke for stroke. Serena saved two break points, but could not prevent the break when she floundered to send a backhand volley long. It was the fifth break of the third set, affording the German an opportunity to serve for the match.

Lisicki managed to inch her nose in front with a big serve at 30-30 to gain her first match point. But with Serena on the attack, she sent a forehand long to fall back to deuce. A double fault on the next point gave Serena a thread back into the contest, but an ace down the middle snapped it just as quickly.

Lisicki showed great heart, pulling out a big serve to gain a second match point. The German scored a sensational upset when she took advantage of short ball from Serena to clinch the match with a forehand winner, before collapsing to the court in a sobbing fit of disbelief and joy.

When the German takes on Kaia Kanepi in the quarters on Wednesday, it will be only her second appearance in the last eight of a grand slam tournament. But the last time she reached there, she defeated Marion Bartoli in three sets to reach the semi-finals.

On the evidence of today, if she can get over the obvious joy of eliminating Williams, Lisicki has a golden opportunity staring in the face for the remainder of what could prove to be the defining week of her life.