Lisicki Outlasts Radwanska, Will Meet Bartoli In Women’s Wimbledon Final

by Staff | July 4th, 2013, 2:35 pm
  • 13 Comments

Sabine Liscki will meet Marion Bartoli for the 2013 women’s Wimbledon championship this Saturday. Both finalists who will each bid for a first time Grand Slam title took different paths today en route to the final.

Lisicki outlasted Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4, 2-6, 9-7 to become the first German woman since Steffi Graff at the 1999 Wimbledon to reach a Grand Slam final.

“I am overwhelmed, so happy,” Lisicki said. “Steffi Graf texted me good luck before the match. She told me to go for it. I fought my heart out for every single point, and believed I could still win no matter what the score was.


“There could be no place better to play my first Grand Slam final because I have been dreaming of being Wimbledon champion since I was a little girl.”

Lisicki, though, was in dire straights late in the match. Like she did against Serena Williams on Monday, the 23-year-old had to rally from an 0-3 third set deficit.

After exchanging breaks again Lisicki was finally able to break the Pole for a final time in the 14th game before serving it out.

Earlier, Bartoli blasted first time Grand Slam semifinalist Kirsten Flipkens 6-1, 6-2 in just over an hour.

“I just really can’t believe it right now,” Bartoli told the BBC. “I played so well today and was feeling so great. I was seeing the ball like a soccer ball. She hits a lot of slice, so I knew I needed to be sharp on my footwork, and everything was just working so perfectly.

“Playing like that on Centre Court at Wimbledon was just an amazing feeling for me.”

The freakish Frenchwoman was a Wimbledon finalist in 2007 when she also beat a Belgian in the semifinals – Justine Henin – but this time she enters the title match without the loss of a set and more experience.

“The last time I was so young, in a way, and every match I was coming on the court as the underdog,” the 28-year-old said. “This time it was totally the opposite. This time I was the highest-ranked player every match, and I needed to put on a great performance in order to go through. And I think I’ve been able to deal with the pressure really well and keep improving throughout the tournament and keep playing better.

“And also I think I’m doing everything better now than I was back then. I’m able to hit the ball harder. I’m moving faster. Today, I think if I played myself from six years ago, I would be beating myself quite easily. The speed of my shots, the way I’m moving – I’m just doing everything better, honestly.”

Flipkens, who had played so well until Thursday, said an early knee injury affected her play.

“I fell in the first set. Straightaway I didn’t feel anything, but I fell on my bad knee,” the Belgian said. “At that moment I didn’t feel it, but a couple of games later I started to feel a really sharp pain like I had four weeks ago. I’m really trying to handle it already for four weeks.”

Bartoli and Lisicki have meet four times before with the big serving Lisicki winning three including a quarterfinal clash at Wimbledon two years.

“I just can’t wait to play on Saturday,” Lisicki said. “Marion plays aggressive tennis. I have played Serena who plays aggressive too. We’ll see. Two years ago I played an amazing Wimbledon as a wildcard. This time I feel much more ready for the entire tournament and I have that belief.”


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Bartoli Beats Lisicki For First Grand Slam Title At Wimbledon
Wimbledon Women’s Final Open Thread: Sabine Lisicki v Marion Bartoli
Flipkens Flips the Wimbledon Script; 1st-Time Winner Guaranteed
Sharapova v Lisicki the Popcorn Match; Wimbledon Women’s Semi Previews

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13 Comments for Lisicki Outlasts Radwanska, Will Meet Bartoli In Women’s Wimbledon Final

Tennis x hippy chic Says:

That was a fantastic match,which was spoilt at the end by a less than friendly handshake at the net at the end there,wonder if there is some history between the two women.


Tennis x hippy chic Says:

Just to add when Serena lost to Sabine she showed alot of class by congratulating her at the net,and likewise Sabine said thankyou very much,and what a great champion Serena is,when Stosur won the USO,Serena and Sam were both sat on their chairs chatting,and Serena gave Sam a kiss on the cheek,Wozniaki visited Serena in hospital when she was sick,sending her flowers,chocolates and get well cards,and some say Serena is a sore loser and has no class,well she might be a sore looser,but IMO she still has class.


Danny Morris Says:

It is easy to not be a sore loser when you lose a lot like wozniacki and lisicki.

Serena has her issues, so does every ATP player. I will take her sore-loser attitude over rafa’s fake humility drilled into him by a controlling-freak of an uncle.


Danny Morris Says:

oh, I am a huge fan of both woz and lisicki, but a spade is a spade!

When I lose a tennis match at my club, I don’t feel as hurt as I would if I lost a game of chess or table tennis or badminton or billiards or racquetball which I really am good at.


Gregoire Gentil Says:

Agnieska said about the handshake: “What do you want me to do? Dance on the court?” She is not Petko!

Obviously, she was just disappointed and it’s really too bad as she deserves to win a slam. It seems that she is joining the Jankovic/Wozniacki/Dementieva/Safina Great_Player_No_Slam club.

Unless Lisicki crumbles, she will win and frankly, we are just about to see another Kvitova story: a win and nothing else after. Plus she should start showing some maturity because crying every other minutes is a little bit pathetic.

There is still some pretty good news!!! We had two scream-free semi-finals and it will be the same for the final. Tune up the volume on Saturday: you can hear the balls flying in a woman tennis match!


James Says:

“Plus she should start showing some maturity because crying every other minutes is a little bit pathetic.”

Nothing with her crying esp if she wins the title. Even some great male players have cried like her.


Michael Says:

Radwanska has to learn from stalwarts such as Roger and Rafa as to how to behave on court. Obviously she is disappointed after such a narrow defeat. But she needs to hide her emotions and has to follow some protocol which is normally done as a tradition at Wimbledon. She left the court in a huff not bothering for Lisicki to turn up. On the other hand, you have Rafa, a Champion, who was defeated in the first round in straight sets by a journeymen named Darcius. Hiding behind such disappointment, with all humility and grace, he allowed the opponent to have the first walk as a mark of respect and he followed him waving to the crowd and signing autographs. That is the hallmark of a Champion. Radwanska has to learn a lot from Rafa such good manners to be followed on the court.


Margot Says:

Terrific second semi. Real knife edge stuff. Sabine’s nick name is “Boom, Boom” apparently :)
Guess she will win, unless she defeats herself.
@kimberly
I know you don’t like Bartoli but she gave a brilliant interview before the match and came across as really charming. Apparently she loves sleeping and is even able to sleep during rain delays! She has ditched her dad and has a whole team in her box now, instead of that solitary, rather intimidating figure. It includes the lovely Maresmo who managed to look really anxious during a match wherein Bartoli looked invincible…..


James Says:

“Nothing with her crying esp if she wins the title. Even some great male players have cried like her.”

*Nothing wrong with her crying

I really hope Sabine can win her first Slam. I know she beat Bartoli before at Wimby before. Hope she does it again.


Colin Says:

Come on, Staff, get a spell checker. It’s “dire straits” not “dire straights”.


Tennis x hippy chic Says:

Colin haha as in the rock group,grr thanks to you i will now have the song Money for Nothing,in my head all day now,question is it apologise with an S,or apologize with a Z.


Kimberly Says:

GO Lisicki!!!! As all know I am not a big Bartoli fan!


dari Says:

Margot- I have seen some charming interviews with Marion lately, you’re right, but what has gotten me to look past her VERY annoying ticks (also she changed her serve motion, I used to look away from the tv when she served) is that she plays so hard. Her movement has improved and she hits the heck out of the ball.
Am definitely cheering for her. Sabine is fine, I just have never grown to enjoy her play and she cries too damn much for my taste :-)

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