Flipkens Flips the Wimbledon Script; 1st-Time Winner Guaranteed
There will be a guaranteed first-time winner at Wimbledon this year on the women’s side after No. 20-seed Kirsten Flipkens of Begium defeated the last remaining former Wimbledon winner in the draw, No. 8 Petra Kvitova, by a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 scoreline in the Tuesday quarterfinals.
ADHEREL
“It’s ridiculous!” Flipkens said. “Last year I didn’t even get into qualifying. To be a semifinalist at Wimbledon, it cannot be better. I was so calm on the court, I had nothing to lose and I just went for my shots…Kim (Clijsters) was one of the few people still believing in me last year so I have to thank her. I’m just enjoying every moment. It’s more than a dream.”
In the semifinals Flipkens will face No. 15 seed Marion Bartoli, who battled through a rain-delayed 6-4, 7-5 victory over No. 17-seeded American Sloane Stephens.
In a battle of the top two highest remaining seeds, No. 4 Aggie Radwanska soft-balled No. 6 Li Na to death 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-2.
Radwasnka in the semis will meet the Serena-killer Sabine Lisicki, as the No. 23 seed dispatched of unseeded Kaia Kanepi 6-3, 6-3.
“I was ready for this match,” Lisicki said. “I knew from experience I needed to make the switch quickly from beating Serena to get back to business here, and that was what I did so I’m very pleased. I feel no pressure at all. I went out to enjoy my game and win the match…I thought anything was possible before the tournament started.”
Radwanska says the meeting will be an interesting one with their history.
“Will be good challenge,” she said. “We know each other since the juniors tournaments, so, you know, is always a good challenge to play someone like Sabine — especially this is a semifinal of a Grand Slam. Well, we going to fight, for sure.”
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