The chances are especially there in the second set, but in the end Angelique Kerber does not make it into her third Wimbledon final after 2016 and 2018. The world number one Ashleigh Barty can now end a long Australian wait.
Angelique Kerber was unable to crown her terrific lawn tennis season by making it into her third Wimbledon final. The 2018 winner lost to world number one Ashleigh Barty from Australia on Thursday 3: 6, 6: 7 (3: 7) – and still left the Center Court with a big smile.
Kerber could not use a 5: 2 lead in the second set and had to admit defeat to her strongest opponent in the course of the tournament after 1:26 hours. After weaker months, however, little had indicated that the former number one in the world would move back into the semifinals of a Grand Slam tournament after three years.
Opponent Barty praises Kerber
The 33-year-old from Kiel missed her fifth final at one of the four most important tennis events. In 2016 she won the Australian Open and the US Open and lost to Serena Williams at Wimbledon. Two years later, she took revenge there against the American.
“It’s unbelievable – that was one of the best tennis matches I’ve ever played. Angie made sure that I showed my best,” praised Barty, who either faced the Czech Karolina Pliskova in the final this Saturday in London or the number two seeded Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus. After her success at the French Open 2019, 25-year-old Barty wants to win her second Grand Slam title and become the first Australian woman to win Wimbledon in 41 years.
In front of the 15,000 spectators on Center Court, the briefly nervous Barty started with a double mistake and gave Kerber two breakballs that went unused. Then the current number one, who will remain so after the tournament, played her thoughtful game with a mixture of different basic strokes. A pass after a ball from Kerber brought Barty, who is only 1.66 meters tall, 2-0 shortly afterwards.
Barty showed playful class and strong nerves
In the fifth duel between the two, the Australian sent from near Brisbane Kerber in the corners, scattered undercut and short balls and hit well despite her smaller body size. Kerber initially did not succeed in dictating what was going on himself, as planned. To make it 1: 3, the left-hander made her first game with her own serve nine years after her first London semi-final.
The world rankings-28. was now better in the game and got another chance for the break to make it 4: 5. But Barty showed playful class and strong nerves, fended off the chance on the net and deservedly secured the first round after 34 minutes.
But to 2-0 in the second set Kerber managed the break, for the first time under the cloudy sky a “Come on now!” across the pitch, at 3-0, the North German clenched her fist and looked determinedly into her box at long-time coach Torben Beltz. Kerber managed a tight game to make it 5-2 because she was now able to put Barty on the defensive more often.
But instead of then equalizing with his own premium in the sets, Kerber gave her service to 5: 4. Barty forced the tiebreak, was quickly 6-0 ahead, a slight mistake by Kerber the game ended at the fourth match point.
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