Lisicki lives up to billing as new favourite

There was no hangover for Sabine Lisicki today as the German followed up her shock win against Serena Williams by reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals at the expense of Kaia Kanepi.

The world number 24 yesterday produced arguably the greatest shock of a remarkable fortnight in London, ending defending champion Williams’s 34-match winning streak.

Lisicki had been priced by several bookmakers as a 10 to 1 long shot to beat the American, but that win saw her become favourite for the title.

The grass-court specialist lived up to that billing today, showing no signs of fatigue as she won her quarter-final clash with Laura Robson’s conqueror Kanepi 6-3 6-3 on Court One.

Lisicki needed just over an hour to secure a place in her second Wimbledon semi-final, where she will play Agnieszka Radwanska after she beat Li Na.

“I had to make sure I came down quick enough to be ready for today,” Lisicki said. “With the experience that I have from the last three times I played here in the quarters, I think it helped me a lot.

“It is so nice [to be back in the semi-finals]. I did it two years ago, played very well, and now I felt even more ready for this match and yesterday I had a great challenge on the way to the semis. I think it made me ready for the semis.

“There is no pressure because for me it is still a game that I love so much. I want to keep it that way.

“I am going out there for every single match trying to win and we will see what happens.”

Last year’s runner-up Radwanska, the highest ranked player left in the women’s draw, moved closer to reaching successive Wimbledon finals after outlasting Li Na 7-6 (5) 4-6 6-2 in an epic last-eight duel .

The Polish fourth seed, seeking her first Grand Slam title after losing in three sets to Serena Williams 12 months ago, staved off a Li fightback, the distraction of two rain interruptions and then squandering seven match points to win through.

“She was playing unbelievable tennis I had two tough matches before so I was happy to go through to the semi-finals,” a relieved Radwanska told the BBC.

“It was just too much tennis in the last few days that’s why I was struggling with my legs.”

Marion Bartoli moved one win away from a second Wimbledon final after a straight-sets victory over Sloane Stephens in a rain-affected match on Court One.

A long wet-weather break worked in Bartoli’s favour and allowed her to take control, before a dramatic second set saw eight successive breaks of serve.

The pair were forced off with Stephens serving at 5-4 behind and at deuce in the opener, and when they resumed two and a half hours later Bartoli was able to grab the two points she required.

The second set featured nine service breaks in total and it was the Frenchwoman, who lost to Venus Williams in the 2007 final, that secured the crucial one at the death to come through 6-4 7-5 and set up a last-four clash with Kirsten Flipkens.

Bartoli led the calls to come off when the rain started and, together with the 15th seed’s eccentric mannerisms, that seemed at one stage to have turned the crowd against her.

The 28-year-old told the BBC: “I didn’t really get why the crowd was so against me for that because obviously the courts are already a bit slippery when it’s dry and when it gets wet it can really get dangerous.

“I didn’t want to hurt myself, it wasn’t about stopping the match for no reason.”

It is Bartoli’s first time back in the semi-finals since her surprise 2007 run, and she said: “I feel so great since 2007 every year I come back here. The grass really suits my game as well but it was a very tough battle today and I really felt I couldn’t hold my serve in that last set. I was returning extremely well but not serving well.

“Before the rain delay it was the opposite, so if I can put everything together for the next match it would be better but I’m very pleased to be in the semi-final once again.”

Flipkens punched the air with delight after stunning former champion Petra Kvitova.

The Belgian won the girls’ title 10 years ago but has since struggled to translate her junior results into performances at the highest level.

However her moment looks to have arrived after a 4-6 6-3 6-4 win against the 2011 champion.

Flipkens, cutting a distinctive figure in glasses and a white headband, with matching white taping on her left knee, savoured the Centre Court occasion and finished off with an ace.

The last glasses-wearing women’s singles champion at Wimbledon was Martina Navratilova in 1990, and the furthest Flipkens has ever progressed at a Grand Slam before this tournament was her run to the fourth round of this year’s Australian Open.

“It’s amazing,” she told the BBC, “more than a dream come true to be in the semi-finals of a Grand Slam, it’s ridiculous.

“Last year I did not even get into the qualifying at Wimbledon. I was 260th in the world and today I am in the semi-finals of Wimbledon. It cannot be better.

“I still cannot believe it. I was so calm, I had nothing to lose, I just went for my shots. Petra was playing really well in the first set and I really had a lot of problems with the way she was playing and I just had to go for it from the second set on. I am so happy. You can’t imagine.”