Wimbledon | Kerber rediscovers winning touch, enters second week
The 2018 champion beats Sasnovich from a set down, sets up Manic Monday clash against Gauff; Zverev advances
Former Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber was put through the wringer early in her third-round clash against unseeded Aliaksandra Sasnovich on Saturday, but rallied from a set down to win 2-6, 6-0, 6-1.
Kerber, who had overcome Sara Sorribes Tormo in the previous round in the longest women’s match at Wimbledon since 2011 (3 hours 18 minutes), made a sluggish start against Sasnovich by twice dropping serve in the opening set to go 0-4 down.
World No. 100 Sasnovich, taking on a second former Wimbledon champion this week after watching Serena Williams limp off injured in their opener, wrapped up the first set in style after rain temporarily halted action on Court No.2.
But Kerber’s response was blistering, handing her 27-year-old opponent a bagel to level the contest. A wayward forehand by Sasnovich gifted Kerber the advantage at 3-1 in the decider and the only remaining Wimbledon winner in the women’s singles draw finished off the match with an ace.
The German will next meet 17-year-old American Coco Gauff, who matched her dream Wimbledon debut run in 2019 with a 6-3, 6-3 defeat of Kaja Juvan.
