Slam hunters Bartoli, Lisicki set for final duel
Germany’s Sabine Lisicki admits winning the Wimbledon final against Marion Bartoli on Saturday would be the perfect way to cap her remarkable recovery from a devastating injury that threatened to ruin her career.
When Lisicki walks onto Centre Court for her first Grand Slam final this weekend it will be both the culmination of a childhood dream and also a fitting end to a tale of redemption that started three years ago.
The 23-year-old German’s joyful celebration at the conclusion of Thursday’s dramatic 6-4, 2-6, 9-7 win over Polish fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska was a far cry from the dark days of 2010 when she was on crutches for months after sustaining a serious left ankle injury at Indian Wells.
Unable to walk and with her promising tennis career in the balance, Lisicki was at a crossroads.
But she refused to bow to suggestions that it might be better to leave tennis rather than risk further damage to her body. And after five months of rehabilitation, she was finally able to return to action.
Victory this weekend would make Lisicki Germany’s first champion at a major since Graf beat Martina Hingis to claim the 1999 French Open.
History favours Lisicki, who has won three of her four meetings with Bartoli.
But the wilfully eccentric Bartoli, famous for her bizarre on-court mannerisms, swept into her second Wimbledon final with a 6-1, 6-2 demolition of Belgium’s Kirsten Flipkens in just 62 minutes.
Bartoli was beaten by Venus Williams in her only previous Grand Slam final appearance at Wimbledon in 2007.
But she has rediscovered her best form since ditching her father Walter, who was her long-time coach, and hiring former Wimbledon winner Amelie Mauresmo.
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