Player: Sabine Lisicki
Age: 21
Nation: Germany
Current Doubles Ranking: 151
Doubles Partner: Samantha Stosur (Australia)
Notable Conquests: Vania King (USA)/Yaroslava Shvedova (Kazakhstan) (1st seed) and Nadia Petrova (Russia)/Anastasia Rodionova (Australia) (6th)
Today's Results: win over Marina Erakovic (New Zealand)/Tamarine Tanasugarn (Thailand) in three sets and a loss to Kveta Peschke (Czech Republic)/Katarina Srebotnik (Slovenia) (2nd) in straight sets
Photo via goalzz.com
Lisicki had a great Wimbledon and her run to the singles semifinals as a wild card is only part of the story. Her doubles tournament with Stosur was even better. The two played the last few games of their semifinal match today before hitting the wall in the final. This was, in fact, the first time for Lisicki to make it past the second round in doubles at a Slam. She won't need a wild card to get into the US Open, in either draw.
Meanwhile, a new star is born. Everything I've heard and read has praised Petra Kvitova for her composure but really, she looked like she was about to burst into tears as she served match point. Instead, ace, game, set, match, trophy, please. She certainly has the game to win more Slams. However, she could walk away now and her legacy would be secure. Having "Wimbledon champion" attached to your name is the tennis equivalent to "Nobel laureate." If you're gonna win just one Slam, this is the one to win.
For the record, I'm very pleased that NBC aired the men's doubles final today. If tomorrow's men's final is short, I hope we'll get to see the mixed doubles final as well. Don't get me wrong, a long, classic men's final is much preferred.
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