Catch all the latest updates and check out the live score from the Wimbledon women's singles semi-finals on Firstpost.com's LIVE blog.
Ashleigh Barty will take on Angelique Kerber in what should be a thrilling Wimbledon semi-final match-up. AP
Set 2: By the numbers!
Game, Set, Match: Ashleigh Barty wins 6-2, 7-6 (7-3)!
A forehand error from Kerber and then a backhand error, both shots hit into the net and Barty has a decent start to this tiebreaker. 2-0 to the Australian. 3-0, it's that forehand again, Barty hits it past Kerber with ease. Oh no, double fault from Kerber at a crucial juncture, and Barty has all the momentum. 4-0 to Barty. OH WOW, THAT IS JUST INCREDIBLE! Barty opens up her body and swivels to hit a forehand winner down the line. Ace! 6-0! Six matchpoints for the World No 1. Make that five, Kerber has just saved one! The German unleashes a couple of furious shots, and Barty is forced into hitting a backhand long. Another point for Kerber! She catches out Barty with a dropshot, and the Australian can't get to the shot in time to send it back over the net. Oh oh, another mistake from Barty, she hits a forehand into the net. KERBER HITS HER SHOT INTO THE NET AND ASHLEIGH BARTY IS INTO THE WIMBLEDON FINAL!
Ashleigh Barty 6-2, 6-6 Angelique Kerber* (* denotes next server)
Barty overcooks a running forehand and Kerber draws first blood in this crucial game. Barty serves out wide, and Kerber's return is hit well outside the court. Barty pulls off a lovely combination of a wide serve and then a quick net approach. A forehand winner from Barty, that was inch-perfect! Inside out forehand winner from Barty, and she holds serve! It's tiebreak time folks!
Ashleigh Barty* 6-2, 5-6 Angelique Kerber (* denotes next server)
First point goes to Barty, as Kerber hits a shot longl Barty's forehand then lands in the doubles alley. Another error on the forehand from Barty, she hits this into the net for 30-15. Once again a forehand into the net from Barty, 40-15. Kerber hits a backhand into the net now, 40-30. Aah, huge slice of luck for Barty as her return clips the top of the net and falls flat on Kerber's side. Deuce. Kerber serves out wide, and as Barty attempts to come back into the centre after making the return, Kerber hits a winner behind her. Kerber then holds serve with a winner, and once again, Barty will serve to stay in the set!
Ashleigh Barty 6-2, 5-5 Angelique Kerber* (* denotes next server)
Long-ish rally on the first point, which Barty ends with a lovely forehand that lands right on the line. Kerber hits a shot long, and Barty is up 30-0. Ace down the middle from Barty, and Kerber immediately challenges it, but to no avail, it touched the line as it went out. Barty holds to love with a backhand winner down the line! It's ten points in a row for Barty!
Ashleigh Barty* 6-2, 4-5 Angelique Kerber (* denotes next server)
Ashleigh Barty does really, really well under some intense pressure to hold serve, and now Kerber will serve for the set. Barty takes control of the first rally and then wins the point with a strong smash. Kerber then makes an unforced backhand error, and this is a real pressure point in the set. Kerber's backhand hits the net, and now Barty has three break points in this crucial game! And she brings the set back on serve with a break to love after a forehand winner! Excellent show of intent from the World No 1!
Ashleigh Barty* 6-2, 2-5 Angelique Kerber (* denotes next server)
Three forehand errors in a row, from Barty, Kerber and Barty in that order, and it's 30-15. Barty then fails to make a return off a serve, and her backhand flies long of the baseline. Kerber's turn to make an error, her forehand is hit with a little too much power. Kerber hits a forehand into the net, and now it's dece. Kerber pushes Barty wide, and Barty's desperate return shot is just inches long. Kerber then wraps up the hold with an inside out forehand winner, and Barty will now serve to stay in the second set.
Ashleigh Barty 6-2, 2-4 Angelique Kerber* (* denotes next server)
Good start from Barty to her service game, with an ace to begin and a mistake from Kerber. Kerber then claws back a point with an excellent error that forces Barty into a mistake, but another Kerber mistake and an ace from Barty is enough to see the Australian through to a hold.
Ashleigh Barty* 6-2, 1-4 Angelique Kerber (* denotes next server)
Kerber does well to dictate the first short rally of the game and hit force Barty into a mistake, but the Australian wins the next point with two back to back forehand winners. The second one was a bit lucky though, she hit it into the top of the net and it just about managed to land on the right side. Kerber then makes an error, hitting into the net, before Barty almost falls over and hits a shot into the crowd. Barty has break point, but Kerber manages to save it with a well time dropshot followed by a passing forehand. Mistake from Barty and advantage Kerber. Kerber then wraps up the hold with a forehand winner down the line, she held serve under tremendous pressure!
Ashleigh Barty 6-2, 1-3 Angelique Kerber* (* denotes next server)
Kerber hits a backhand into the net, and it follows it up with a forehand that just flies long of the baseline. Kerber challenges the call, but it's overhit by a couple of inches. Barty serves out wide, and Kerber once again fails to return it. Kerber manages to win a point after forcing Barty into mishitting a forehand down the line, but Barty completes the hold with yet another big serve.
Preview: In some ways, Ash Barty’s rise to No 1 in the women’s rankings can be traced back to a loss to Angelique Kerber three years ago.
Playing her first final in her native Australia, Barty was beaten in straight sets by Kerber in the 2018 Sydney International — and came away with a new understanding of what it takes to get to the top.
”I remember coming off the court and feeling like my level was close, but it wasn’t good enough,” Barty said. ”That was almost a bit of a reset knowing I’m not far off, but I’m not there yet.”
Now Barty is not far off her first Wimbledon title. But not there yet, as Kerber once again stands in her way in Thursday’s semi-finals.
”I think the challenge of playing her in a semifinal of Wimbledon is an incredible opportunity, one that I’m really excited for,” said Barty, who won her only Grand Slam title at the 2019 French Open. ”It’s not scary or overwhelming, it’s just exciting.”
Kerber is the only former women’s champion remaining in the tournament. The other two semi-finalists, No 2 Aryna Sabalenka and Karolina Pliskova, are into the last four for the first time at the All England Club.
The 33-year-old Kerber is only seeded 25th at Wimbledon but seems to have rediscovered her best grass-court form after winning a warmup tournament in Bad Homburg, Germany.
She has a 2-2 career record against Barty, but their last meeting came in 2018 and they have never played on grass. Kerber thinks the fact that her name is already on the Wimbledon trophy could give her an advantage.
“Of course, it’s a good feeling already to have the trophy at home and to (have) won it here,” she said. “Now I’m back. I’m coming after a really tough time. I was not playing good the last few months. Now, winning last week a tournament at home, now playing well here again, that means a lot to me.”
Barty, for her part, has never even had a good look at the Venus Rosewater Dish, as the women's trophy is called.
“I think it’s downstairs in like a case before the court entrance,” Barty said after her quarterfinal win over fellow Australian Ajla Tomljanovic. “I can’t say that I’ve gone up and kind of peered in. Maybe one day I’ll get an opportunity to look at it.”
With inputs from AP.