This match really hurt!
Angelique Kerber (34) was eliminated in Wimbledon in the third round. The three-time Grand Slam winner lost 4: 6, 5: 7 to the Belgian Elise Mertens (26).
“It was very windy but that was it for both of them. She had some lucky balls. Ultimately I am very disappointed. I found my rhythm relatively late and she played very powerfully from the start. She’s a very uncomfortable opponent,” said the 2018 Wimbledon winner.
The German number 1 was a break early on, but was able to repeat it. But at the end of the first sentence, Mertens had the better end for himself. With zero, the number 31 in the world took the serve from Kerber to 6: 4 at the best possible time.
In the second round, the girl from Kiel was there at first and got an early break for her part. But Mertens fought back and got her serve back. Now the spectators had the exciting match they had wished for on Court 1.
Kerber’s fighting spirit was now really irritated. She immediately countered Mertens’ service before her arm trembled again. With a double fault, she gave up her serve – 5:5 instead of winning the set.
That was the crux of the matter. After that, Kerber couldn’t get back on his feet. After 1:20 hours, Mertens converted her first match point. “I led, had my chances to make it 6-6, I was too passive and she had two lucky balls. That’s sport,” said Kerber.
Kerber is therefore not the last German to be eliminated, which rarely happens. Dortmund’s Jule Niemeier (22) is in the round of 16 after beating the Ukrainian Lesja Zurenkko (33) 6: 4, 3: 6, 6: 3, as is Tatjana Maria (34), who sensationally beat Maria Sakkari (26/ Greece) 6:3, 7:5 beat.
