MX23RW : Wednesday, November 27 01:37:01| >> :600:359751568:359751568:

Live Commentary: Sabine Lisicki vs. Kaia Kanepi - as it happened

Live coverage of the quarter-final match between Germany's Sabine Lisicki and Kaia Kanepi of Estonia at Wimbledon.
2

Sabine Lisicki needed just over an hour to book her place in the semi-finals at Wimbledon this afternoon.

The German, who knocked top seed Serena Williams out yesterday, beat Estonia's Kaia Kanepi 6-3 6-3.

The 23rd seed will face either Agnieszka Radwanska or Li Na in the last four.

Read how all the action unfolded below:


Sort:
Newest
Oldest
Good afternoon! Sabine Lisicki and Kaia Kanepi are due to head out to Court One at Wimbledon in around 15 minutes for their quarter-final match.

Lisicki is the new favourite with the bookmakers, having beaten world number one Serena Williams yesterday. It's the second year in a row that the German has knocked out the top seed, following her victory over Maria Sharapova in 2012.

Kanepi is the only non-seeded player left in the draw, but looked in good form during her straight-sets win over Britain's Laura Robson yesterday. The Estonian's ranking tumbled earlier this year as she missed tournaments with an Achilles injury, but she's been rediscovering the form that took her to 15th in the world in August last year.

This will be the first time that Kanepi has played Lisicki. The pair had been due to face each other in Beijing in 2011, but Kanepi received a walkover after the German picked up an injury.

There was a light shower at Wimbledon earlier this lunchtime, but it looks like the rain is staying away for now, so this match should be getting underway on time. It is expected to be wet later this afternoon, so both players will be hoping to get through this match as soon as possible.

The winner of this match will face the winner of the first match on Centre Court this afternoon. You can follow updates of the clash between last year's finalist Agnieszka Radwanska, and former French Open champion Li Na with Sports Mole this afternoon.

Following her win over Williams yesterday, Lisicki told BBC Sport: "I am still shaking, I am so happy. Serena played a fantastic match, she is such a tough opponent. It is an amazing feeling to win this match. This is such a special place for me and the crowd were brilliant to me. I gave it everything I had, I fought for every single point to try to win it somehow. I'm not thinking about the next match yet."

The players are just heading onto court. It's a warm reception from the crowd for both players. They'll be given five minutes to warm up before the match gets underway.

Kanepi has won the pre-match coin toss and has chosen to serve first. There are still quite a few empty seats around Court One, but now that the players are on court there are plenty of fans quickly rushing in.

If the Estonian wins today, it will see her reach the last four at a Grand Slam for the first time in her career. This will be her fifth appearance in the quarter-finals of a major, and her second last-eight appearance at Wimbledon.

This is the fourth time that Lisicki has reached the quarters at Wimbledon, the only Grand Slam which has seen her pass the fourth round. The 23-year-old was also a finalist in the women's doubles in 2011 alongside Sam Stosur, whom she knocked out in the singles draw this year.

The warm-ups are over, and the players are just grabbing a last-minute drink before the contest gets underway, with Kanepi serving first.

BREAK! Lisicki makes a brilliant return to take the opening point of the match, before a big serve from the Estonian levels the scores. Kanepi follows it up with a double fault. A strong forehand allows Kanepi to edge ahead, but she gets caught out while looking to volley, giving the German the chance to lob the ball over her and bring up deuce. On the fourth deuce of the game, Lisicki makes a stunning forehand down the sideline to bring up the first break point of the match, and she gets it with Kanepi smashing her forehand into the net. Both players using a great variety of shots early in this match.

Kanepi attacks straight away, coming into the net to smash a volley past her opponent, but Lisicki hits back with some powerful serves to take a 40-15 lead. Kanepi gets back into the game with some more strong play at the net, but Lisicki manages to hold, clinching the game with another impressive serve.

It's a solid service game from Kanepi, who had made a few mistakes in the opening game of the match. She places her serves out wide, leaving Lisicki stretching on her returns, taking just the one point from her opponent.

Lisicki makes her first double fault of the match, but makes amends with a well-timed drop shot, before smashing a forehand winner past Kanepi. The German tries another drop shot, but this time Kanepi get the ball back, but Lisicki is able to tap the ball into the open court. A big serve from the 23rd seed is smashed into the net by the Estonian, giving Lisicki the game.

Lisicki gets down low behind the baseline to make some tricky returns and edge ahead in the game, but Kanepi ups the pace on her serve to keep herself in the set, sealing the game with another ace.

Kanepi is unlucky to be a break down, having had advantage three times in the opening game, but she's not looked like getting the break back during Lisicki's service games. There has been little between the two players so far.

Kanepi makes a superb backhand to set herself up for a forehand winner. She attacks Lisicki's second serve trying to bring up her first break point of the match, but puts too much power on the ball. A wide ball from the German brings up deuce, but she claims advantage with a delicate drop shot, sealing the game on the next point when Kanepi fire the ball long.

Lisicki's serve has not been as much of a weapon as Kanepi's at the start of this match, but she has been much more accurate and consistent than her opponent, giving the Estonian few easy points, while some faults from Kanepi have allowed Lisicki to attack her second serve.

Lisicki makes a couple of errors with her groundstrokes, forcing the ball long twice in succession, but two poor net shots from Kanepi help the German to deuce. Another long effort from Lisicki gives Kanepi advantage, and she wraps up the game with a solid smash from inside the baseline.

Lisicki plays well from the back of the court, but Kanepi is able to defend well, with the game heading the deuce. A long forehand from the Estonian gives the 23rd seed advantage. She misses her first serve, but tries a risky second serve, and gets an ace.

SET! Lisicki 6-3 Kanepi

Some sloppy serves from Kanepi allow Lisicki to attack, and she brings up two set points with another superb drop shot. Kanepi defends hard trying to keep herself in the set, but fires her forehand well wide to hand the German the first set.

The 6-3 scoreline seems harsh on Kanepi. The two players were very evenly matched throughout, but it was just a couple of errors from the Estonian in the opening and last game of the set that allowed Lisicki to break. Kanepi had a couple of chances against the Lisicki serve, but was unable to capitalise.

Over on centre court, it's still on serve in the opening set. You can follow updates of that clash too with Pascal Lemesre.

It's a cool start to the second set from Lisicki. She's been catching Kanepi out all afternoon with her drop shot, and she does it again, helping her to a comfortable hold.

Kanepi makes a strong start to her service game, but a double fault keeps Lisicki in touch. The Estonian fights back with a pacy ace, before sealing the game with an aggressive volley at the net. She's been displaying an impressive range of shots the afternoon, and can still get back into this match if she can cut down on the mistakes.

BREAK! Lisicki loses her rhythm on serve, missing her first serve on the opening couple of points, before a double fault brings up three break points for Kanepi. She saves the first with a superb volley, but she makes another double fault to gift Kanepi the game. That was a shocking game from the German, she didn't make a single first serve!

BREAK! A careless forehand from Kanepi finds the net on the opening point of the game, before Lisicki smashes her forehand long. The 23rd seed has an immediate chance to break back though, as the Estonian sends her backhand long, before Lisicki makes a brilliant volley. A strong serve from Kanepi saves the first, but she hands the break back with a double fault. The nerves just seem to be getting to both players at the moment.

Lisicki has been just superb at the net today, and she continues to be so in this game, with a powerful smash to give her a 40-15 lead, before she takes the game with a drop shot, which results in an air-shot from Kanepi. The Estonian is just starting to look a little weary.

BREAK! Kanepi is really struggling now, making some poor shot selections, allowing Lisicki to blast a couple of easy winners past her, before two careless shots to the net allow Lisicki to break. It's difficult to see the Estonian getting back into this now.

Lisicki is on fire, cranking up the pace behind her serve, resulting in some sloppy returns from Kanepi, before an ace from the German helps her clinch the game, leaving her just one game from the semi-finals.

Lisicki comes from 40-0 down to deuce, putting Kanepi under pressure.

Lisicki tries too hard to wrap the match up in this game, putting for too much on the ball during her returns to give Kanepi a 40-0 lead. However, she turns back to her drop shot, which has been incredibly successful this afternoon, to keep herself in the game. Some solid groundstrokes from Lisicki have her opponent on the defensive, and the Estonian hits the net before blasting the ball long to bring up deuce, but some big serves from Kanepi allow her to hold. Lisicki will now serve for a place in the last four.

A wide forehand from Kanepi brings up two match points for the 23rd seed.

Kanepi saves the first with a stunning forehand winner down the sideline.

Lisicki fires the ball well wide to bring up deuce. Kanepi is defending well to keep herself in the match.

A wide return from Kanepi gives Lisicki her third chance to clinch the match.

GAME, SET & MATCH! Lisicki 6-3 6-3 Kanepi

Just as the rain starts to fall again, Lisicki books her place in the last four at Wimbledon for the second time in her career, coming into the net to volley, securing a place in the last four after just over an hour on court.

Kanepi looked like she had a chance to get back into the match when she broke Lisicki early in the second set, but seemed to lose her focus when the German broke back straight away.

Next up for the 23rd seed will be the winner of the match currently taking place on centre court. Last year's beaten finalist Agnieszka Radwanska has just taken the first set in a tiebreak with Li Na, but the covers are on at the minute while a shower falls.

Well that's all from this match, but stick around for the conclusion of the Radwanska vs. Li match, as well as coverage of the matches from the bottom half of the ladies' draw later this afternoon, as well as reports and reaction to all of today's contests. Thanks for joining me this afternoon, good bye!

ID:91648: cacheID:91648:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:20384:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Great Britain's Laura Robson reacts after losing the first set in her match against Estonia's Kaia Kanepi during day seven of the Wimbledon Championships on July 1, 2013
Read Next:
Novotna: Robson "can be much better"
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!