Angelique Kerber overcame the challenge of fellow German Sabine Lisicki this evening to advance through to the semi-finals of Wimbledon.
The first five service games of the match under the roof of Centre Court were held, which saw Kerber take hold a 3-2 lead.
The 24-year-old then grabbed the initiative by claiming a break of the Lisicki serve to open up a 4-2 margin. She then maintained her composure to hold her remaining service games to win the opening set 6-3.
A double fault by Lisicki at the start of the second set handed Kerber a 2-0 lead. However, Lisicki soon claimed that break back to reduce the arrears to 3-2, before holding her next service game to level up to score at three games apiece.
Kerber had two match points while Lisicki was serving at 5-4, but the 22-year-old held her nerve to produce two winning shots to keep herself in the tie.
The set headed into a tie-break, which both players had chances to win. It was Lisicki who finally emerged victorious, serving out to win 9-7.
Both players broke each other's serve as the deciding set got off to an unpredictable start.
It looked as though Lisicki was going to win the encounter when she claimed another break shortly after, only to be broken back at the next time of asking.
Kerber eventually broke decisively with the scores level at five games each, before serving out to book her place in the final four.
Liam Apicella
