Wimbledon: Kerber and the newcomers

Barty-Kerber

At 33, Kerber seems to be reborn at Wimbledon where she won her third Grand Slam title in 2018 (after Australian Open and US Open in 2016). Eliminated in the second round in 2019, the German took only 1h15 to rule out the Czech Karolina Muchova (22nd) 6-2, 6-3. This return to the highest level is all the more remarkable given that she was eliminated in the first round at the Australian Open in February and again at Roland Garros in June. "What made the difference is the grass ... and you the public," she said to the spectators of Court N.1. “I had some very complicated times, I haven't played well in recent months. And now I'm winning: last week at home -in Bad Hombourg- and now I'm playing well here ... ”, she savored, hoping to be able to s'support from his experience for the future.

Because to go further, it will be necessary to beat Barty who also adores the lawn and made all the more impression there that she had left Roland-Garros on an abandonment in the 2nd round because of a pain in the hip and that 'she hadn't played since.

On Tuesday, she swept Ajla Tomljanovic (75th) 6-1, 6-3 and thus advanced to her first semi-final at the All England Lawn Tennis Club.

"It's a dream ... I enjoy every minute that I spend here," said Barty who sees Kerber as the "ultimate test."

Pliskova-Sabalenka

Karolina Pliskova, ex-N.1 world today 13th and Aryna Sabalenka, 4th, navigate the elite of world tennis but have not yet won the Holy Grail of a Major title. Pliskova made the final of the 2016 US Open and semi-finals at the Australian Open and Roland Garros, but the 29-year-old Czech has never passed 8th at Wimbledon. For her part, Sabalenka has had a series of good performances on the circuit for a few months (titles in Doha, Ostrava and Linz in 2020, Abu Dhabi, Stuttgart and Madrid in 2021), but she had never exceeded the 8th in the Grand Slam (Australia 2021) or even the 2nd round at Wimbledon. However, she has been very comfortable since the start of the tournament and showed great authority on Tuesday to beat the Tunisian Ons Jabeur (24th) 6-4, 6-3.

"I was starting to believe that I would never make it to the second week"

Aryna sabalenka

“I surprised myself because I didn't feel the pressure to be in quarterfinals for the first time,” she said.

Because his underperformance in Grand Slam tournaments weighed him psychologically.

“I was always disappointed not to have supported the pressure, she admitted.

I began to believe that I would never make it to the second week ”.

Now his gaze is on the trophy: “I'm still in the tournament and I still have a chance to win a Grand Slam trophy.

I will do everything to achieve my goal, ”she warned.

“I hadn't played well in the weeks leading up to Wimbledon, so now I feel a bit like a dream.

"

Karolina Pliskova

It will start by dominating Pliskova who made short work of the Swiss Viktorija Golubic (66th) 6-2, 6-2. “It was almost perfect, congratulated the Czech. I did exactly what it took to beat her. ” A level of play all the more satisfying as it hadn't tasted it for some time. “I hadn't played well in the weeks leading up to Wimbledon, so now I feel a bit like a dream. I always believed that at one point or another I would get my game back and I am very happy that it is happening now, ”commented the Czech. In the next round, she will have to react quickly to the big blows of Sabalenka. “I won't have time to think,” she said. But I also think I have a game that can bore him.We will have to play fast and put pressure on him. "