Lisicki upsets Sharapova, Kerber Clobbers Clijsters

Sabine Lisicki

WIMBLEDON -  No Wimbledon title for Maria Sharapova this year.  The current No. 1 who will lose her top ranking next week was dominated by Germany’s Sabine Liscki 6-4, 6-3 in a fourth round encounter on Monday.

“Yeah, certainly had chances,” Sharapova said. “I didn’t take them.  But I think I a lot of the credit goes to my opponent.  She played extremely well today and did many things better than I did on this given day.  You just have to hand it to her.”

“She did many things much better than I did today,” said the Russian.  “Of course, could have done things differently, absolutely, but not on this particular day.”

“I felt great,” said a beaming Lisicki.  “I had a great practice yesterday evening and felt good this morning.  As soon as I stepped on the court I also felt like I’m playing very well, so, you know, I was feeling very confident ‑ even though I lost the first game.

“I just missed a couple of points here and there, but overall I just felt very good and confident.”

The German continued: “Well, I felt very good even in the start of the first set already.  I felt like I’m hitting the balls very clean.  I’m doing what I’m supposed to do.  When I took the first set, it obviously gives you another lift, more confidence.

“Well, I knew as soon as I got the break in the second set, I knew I’m going to take it home.”

Lisicki has performed the unique feat of beating the reigning French Open champion at three Wimbledons – 2009 Svetlana Kuznetsova, 2011 Li Na and now Sharapova.

“It feels amazing,” said the German. “I mean, she won the French Open.  Actually, that’s a good omen for me, because I’ve beaten the French Open champion three times here.  In ’09 I beat Kuznetsova, last year Na Li, and this year Maria.  I guess they shouldn’t be in my part of the draw.”

“I enjoy the sport.  I just love playing tennis and I love being out there, especially at my favorite tournament.

“So, you know, I just have fun out there.  I mean, I know I missed the shot by a little, but I was going for the right one, so there’s nothing to be mad about.”

In her final Wimbledon match a soon-to-be retired Kim Clijsters was destroyed 6-1, 6-1 by Lisicki’s countrywoman Angelique Kerber.

“I know that actually maybe her last Wimbledon, but I was going out there and know before the match that I need to play very good to beat her,” said Kerber.

“I think I do a good job today, so, I mean, I’m very happy to be in the quarters right now.”

“I just had the feeling that there was absolutely nothing I could have done today to have won that match, said Clijsters. You know, I just felt, like, my opponent was better on every level.  You know, that’s all I was thinking about.

“I won’t be sorry about anything, Clijsters on her impending retirement at the end of the year.  “I mean, I know that every time that I’ve played here I’ve given my best, and that’s the only thing that I can try.  You know, some days it’s good, some days it’s great, and some days it’s not good enough.

“And that’s something that I’ll never regret.  I’ll never say that I didn’t work hard enough or I didn’t practice hard enough.

“So I don’t think I’ll feel sorry about anything when I leave.”

Clijsters spoke about her special memories at Wimbledon: It obviously all started I think from when I was a youngster, being at home even before I was a junior watching Wimbledon during summer holidays from Belgium, watching it on TV.  You just kind of felt the magic coming through the television, I think.  So that was kind of my first connection with Wimbledon.

“And then as I got older, when I was able to be here for the first time as a junior, it was just very special.  I mean, I think the first year that I played here, I was here just to take it all in.  I don’t even think I was here to play tennis.  I needed to just open my eyes and look at everything.

“It’s so new.  It was such, you know, an amazing thing.  It was like to me this was like Disneyland to another child.  So it was such a beautiful thing.

“So, yeah, I think the next year or the year after I was able to make the finals here in juniors, and that was a very special moment.  I was able to go to the championship ball.  Won doubles here.

“So I have a lot of good memories, a lot of special memories also emotionally with my family and my with my dad.  Yeah, it’s a nice place to go back to every year.

Kerber will play Lisicki in an all-German battle for a semifinal spot.

“I mean, for sure it will not be easy match against Sabine, said Kerber.  “She beat Maria today.  I know she play very well on grass.

“I mean, I said before the tournament I will look round to round, and now she is the next round.  It’s good for Germans to have two players in the quarters and one of us in the semis.

“So, I mean, it will be a good match, I think, and I will try just to focus on me and try to do my thing on the court.  We will see who will win the match.”