Lisicki closes in on dream title

Sabine Lisicki strength of character ensured she recovered from a serious ankle injury
5 July 2013

Sabine Lisicki fulfilled a childhood dream by reaching the Wimbledon final just three years after she feared her career was in ruins.

Lisicki came out on top in one of the best matches of this Wimbledon, defeating Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4 2-6 9-7 on Thursday in the second semi-final on Centre Court. The German's progression to the final is a just reward for the determination and guile she has shown since suffering a serious ankle injury playing at Indian Wells in 2010.

The 23-year-old spent six weeks on crutches after having an operation on her left ankle and she had to rely on help from her physiotherapist to enable her to walk again.

The 24th seed never felt like giving up her fight to regain full fitness.

"I always believed I could come back, no matter what happened," Lisicki said.

"I can still remember when the doctor told me that I had to be on crutches the next six weeks. The first question I asked him was, 'When can I play again?'.

"That period made me such a much stronger person and player. I know anything is possible after learning how to walk again."

Lisicki dropped to below the 200 mark in the rankings after her time on the sidelines, but she made a surprising run to the semi-finals of Wimbledon two years ago and this year she has gone one better, making the final after beating illustrious names including Serena Williams, Sam Stosur and Francesca Schiavone along the way.

As a self-confessed Wimbledon fanatic, it would be something of a fairytale ending for Lisicki if she were to beat Marion Bartoli on Centre on Saturday.

"It's something I've been dreaming about since I was a little girl," said Lisicki, who hails from Troisdorf, a small town in western Germany.

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