French Open champion Li Na suffered the first major upset at this year’s Wimbledon when she lost 3-6 6-4 8-6 to big-serving German wildcard Sabine Lisicki on Thursday.
The third-seeded Chinese, who became the first Asian player to win a grand slam title earlier this month, squandered two match points in the third set to give Lisicki a chance which the 21-year-old 2009 quarter-finalist grabbed with both hands. Lisicki, awarded a wildcard to the main draw following an ankle injury which put her on crutches last year, burst into tears as she dropped to her knees in celebration after booking a third-round clash with Japan’s Misaki Doi, the world number 133.
“It was really really hard,” said Lisicki, who had shown her potential on grass this month when she won at Edgbaston, her first title since 2009. “I had to start from zero having been on crutches for seven weeks.
“Winning the title in Birmingham meant so much to me. And of course getting the wildcard here, I appreciate that so so much. To be back in Wimbledon, a place I love so much. “They (the crowd) really helped me when I was two match points down. I didn’t know it could get so loud in there. It was amazing.”