By Ros Satar, at Wimbledon
- Julia Goerges [13] def. Kiki Bertens [20] 3-6 7-5 6-1
- Will face Serena Williams who leads H2H 3-0
WIMBLEDON, UK – Julia Goerges snapped a long losing streak at Wimbledon this year, reaching the semi-final for the first time, where she will face seven-time champion Serena Williams.
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The present state of German tennis is looking fine at the moment, with both former finalist Angelique Kerber and now Julia Goerges reaching the semi-finals. While we may be a long way off an all-German final, there is every reason to applaud Goerges route to the semi-final.
With seeds departing left and right, Goerges has emerged from the draw with her best performance at Wimbledon, and certainly her best in recent years. With a career best now of 20-17 on the surface, it is hard to believe that she had not advanced past the first round of Wimbledon since 2012, when she last made it to the third round.
It took a period of accepting the nuances of the surface, to see the results that have taken her further than in any other Grand Slam.
In a tight match with Kiki Bertens, who also seemed to have made a bit of a breakthrough on the surface, being primarily known as a clay courter, she found herself having to come from behind to claim her berth in the semi-finals.
She explained: “I changed my approach to the surface. It started last year already. We took David Prinosil to our team. He explained me a few things, how I can be dangerous on grass court, as well, that I have to accept certain balls, certain circumstances on that surface, which I didn’t do the years before. It was just, like, more probably the view of the surface and the view of the rallies you have, how you want to structure your point, as well.
“There will be some rallies where you cannot do something, but you still need to accept that these things are going to happen, maybe in some important moments as well. You just have to get through them.”
This was not her only battle of the tournament having been taken to three sets twice in the second and third round, and she now understands the small margins that can quyickly get away from you in a grass court match.
She said: “I think this match today was an example how much I’ve grown in this department, how much I’ve accepted. As I said, I thought I was the better player, but I lost the set because I wasn’t taking my chances. I was waiting to get another one and another one. Managed to find a way somehow. I think this is the best example for the mentality I’ve changed.”
She will face Serena Williams who also had a battle on her hands, but she will need to get her mind in the game if she wants to snap a three-match losing streak against the former champion.
She added: “Obviously she has won so many titles here, not only here, a lot of Grand Slams beside Wimbledon. Well, it’s a great opportunity for me to meet her at that stage. It’s an honour to share the court with her. But I will sort out some tactics with my team tomorrow and we’ll be ready for Thursday.”
The Ladies’ semi-finals will take place on Centre Court on Thursday, from 1pm (BST).
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