Ostapenko fights back to reach quarter-finals again

The other semifinal sees two-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber take on 2017 French Open victor Jelena Ostapenko.

Serena Williams survived a major scare before sealing her 11th Wimbledon semi-final appearance as the seven-time champion hit back to beat Italy’s Camila Giorgi 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Tuesday.

Ostapenko won the French Open in 2017 by playing in this manner and knows no other way, but she had an off day and, despite hitting 30 winners, it was her 35 unforced errors that cost her any chance of progressing.

CONTENTIOUSLY dumped from Wimbledon’s seedings, Dominika Cibulkova has charged into the quarter-finals – only to be accused of poor sportsmanship. Ostapenko caught fire from there, winning eight points in a row and edging through the inevitable tie-break.

It wasn’t long before the world number 50 again would be presented with opportunities to break, building another 0-40 lead.

Novak Djokovic enjoyed a wedding anniversary trip to central London with wife Jelena, and rather than make use of one of the many tournament courtesy cars, the three-time Wimbledon champion took the tube.

It was the first time she dropped a set at this year’s tournament, but Serena was able to overcome it and roared back to win.

Seeded 12th, Ostapenko held a decisive edge on feisty Dominika Cibulkova to post a 7-5 6-4 triumph in breezy conditions. Dreams can quickly turn to nightmares on a tennis court, so the strategy meeting that Goerges had planned with her team for Wednesday was set to be crucial. “We’ve played so many tough matches”, Kerber said after she finally sealed the win on her seventh match point.

But the crucial game in the first set went Ostapenko’s way as she broke to love for a 6-5 lead and served it out with two aces to complete a run of nine straight points her way.

After falling behind 2-5 to Sasnovich – who knocked out Petra Kvitova in the first round – Ostapenko won 11 of the next 12 games to wrap up the win and reach the last-eight at Wimbledon for a second consecutive year. “I’m fighting to the end and it helps me, gives me more confidence”, said the youngest player left in the draw. But then slowly I got used to the rhythm, started to feel my game.

It would take 10 minutes to determine the answer, as time and again Kasatkina faced match point-there would be seven-and brought it back to deuce with some quite magical shot-making.

“I was running everywhere on the court, she was moving me very much!”

“Actually, I didn’t even understand for what it was given because I didn’t really hear anybody saying anything. I had a great week”.

“I’m just trying to focus on myself because I think that when I play well I can beat anyone”. I’m just going for the shots. “I have to be very confident, aggressive, and consistent”. “But when I come here, I come here thinking that I can do a good result, no?”

“It never happened to me in my career that the umpire changed the decision. This is all I’m focussing on”.

“She’s great player. It’s going to be a battle”.