There’s one surefire way to tell if Angelique Kerber is in good shape: her crouch. Rather: her defensive strike with the backhand from a crouch. Kerber made this stroke an art form in tennis. When opponents attack and put them in distress, she shifts her body’s center of gravity, standing on the baseline, all the way down. This position gives her stability. And this technique has another advantage: Kerber does not have to back down. In the past few months, when she hadn’t really gotten great results, she had often been far too passive. She was: backed away. But at Wimbledon, in this very special place for her, where she had already triumphed in 2018? Kerber stops there. Go down. She interprets the Kerber squat like at her best. The 33-year-old, the three-time Grand Slam winner, is really playing great again, and you don’t have to be an expert to arrive at the verdict: After this 6: 4, 6: 4 success on Monday in the round of 16 against the American Coco Gauff, 17, is suddenly one of Kerber’s favorites. The world number one Ashleigh Barty should continue to be the first contender. As before, the Australian convinced in her round of 16, winning 7: 5, 6: 3 against the French Open winner Barbora Krejcikova from the Czech Republic.
In the quarter-finals, Kerber meets the 22nd world rankings. Karolina Muchova
It’s hard to say whether Kerber always plays so well at Wimbledon because the grass suits her so well – or whether she first persuades herself that she has always been good here, in the noble London district, and then promptly plays well thanks to self-suggestion . In any case, the way in which Germany’s most successful player in the All England Club can repeatedly improve her performance is amazing. In tennis, the term vintage is often used when someone older is as skillful as they used to be. When Roger Federer won the trophy at the Australian Open in 2017 after a six-month injury break, he was the vintage Roger. Kerber is now the vintage Angie; so her first name is abbreviated. With her flat strokes, she tied Gauff to the baseline on the center court on Monday afternoon, she made few mistakes, the passing balls had magnificent angles. Often Gauff could only watch the balls like a spectator.
In the quarter-finals this Tuesday, Kerber, who is in 28th place in the world rankings, will face the 22nd world ranking. Karolina Muchova. The Czech defeated the Spaniard Paula Badosa 7: 6 (6), 6: 4. Kerber, who was already number one in the world, should definitely be favored again. “I just enjoy my time here,” she said after the game during an interview on the pitch. She said to the audience: “I have so much fun playing in front of you. It gives me so much energy.” Kerber is now the only player left in the field who has already won the Wimbledon title. But the fact that more and more are looking at them now fades them out. “I’m trying to just stay in the moment,” she said – and beamed.
1.98 meters horizontally: Alexander Zverev was at least not lacking in physical effort in the match against Felix Auger-Aliassime.
(Photo: Pool / Getty)
Alexander Zverev then had to face Felix Auger-Aliassime a little later on Monday, on Court No.1, the second largest arena. The sixth in the world rankings from Hamburg had won the second round without nakedness, but this time a lot was different. The 20-year-old Canadian, who is playing a great season and is in 19th place in the ranking, offered a lot of resistance. Zverev didn’t seem quite so sure, starting tellingly with two double errors in his first service game. With 6: 4, 7: 6 (6) Auger-Aliassime, who has been working with Rafael Nadal’s uncle and ex-trainer Toni Nadal for some time, secured the first two sets. But Zverev bit his way into it, and if at the level one only plays nuances better and the other loses nuances, the advantages tip. 6: 3, 6: 3 for Zverev, fifth set.
Wimbledon winner Roger Federer made it into the quarter-finals of the Grand Slam tournament in London for the 18th time. The 39-year-old Swiss defeated the Italian Lorenzo Sonego on Monday 7: 5, 6: 4, 6: 2. At 39 years and 337 days, Federer became the oldest Wimbledon quarter-finalist in the professional era of tennis. The long-time number one will meet either the world number two Daniil Medwedew from Russia or the Poland Hubert Hurkacz on Wednesday. dpa
Break Auger-Aliassime, Re-Break Zverev, they are now completely hooked together. In the ingenious volume “Asterix on Corsica”, some Corsicans face the Romans and challenge them to a duel by staring at each other. Until one of them collapses. Here, on the lawn, it was similar. Only the two opponents used tennis rackets instead of poisonous looks. Who buckled? It was Zverev who gave his service game to 3: 4. Auger-Aliassime played the advantage savvy and greedily for the victory – after the 6: 4, 7: 6, 3: 6, 3: 6, 6: 4, the huge talent, already highly regarded by tennis connoisseurs since early childhood, stands by for the first time a Grand Slam in a quarter-finals.
While Zverev was disappointed, Auger-Aliassime spoke overjoyed on the pitch: “I’m a normal guy from Montreal, Canada, and here I am.” His eyes shone: “That was the biggest win of my career.” Nothing has changed for Zverev: He has to wait for his longed-for first Grand Slam victory.