Top seed Angelique Kerber has booked a spot in Manic Monday with a three-set win over big-hitting American Shelby Rogers.
Rogers, ranked No. 70 in the world to Kerber’s No. 1, tried to take charge of the match by going for risky shots. The strategy paid off reasonably well; she hit 48 winners and made 47 unforced errors. But that was not good enough against the 2016 Wimbledon finalist. Kerber scored a comeback victory 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4.
What it means to go through…
No.1 seed Angelique Kerber digs deep to beat Shelby Rogers.#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/AreYuLg1No
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 8, 2017
Rogers drew first blood by breaking Kerber’s serve for a 2-1 lead in the opening set, taking advantage of soft shots by her opponent. Kerber had a point to break back in the next game, but Rogers saved it by forcing an error on her serve.
At 1-3, despite a swinging volley winner and a drop shot winner from Rogers, Kerber held on to contain Rogers’s lead to one break. The American then held on a forehand winner, and the German held to love, leaving Rogers up 4-3.
After the changeover, Rogers sliced an ace for a 5-3 lead.
At 5-4, Rogers served for the first set, and Kerber lost set point by missing a forehand pass attempt wide.
First set to Shelby Rogers, 6-4 over Angelique Kerber.
Kerber loses #1 ranking if she loses today. #Wimbledon
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) July 8, 2017
Kerber held her serve to start the second set, coming in at 40-30 for a short forehand winner. Rogers then held for 1-1 on an ace up the T.
Kerber trailed 15-40 in her next service game. Rogers wasted the first break point by netting an easy slice backhand, but Kerber gave the game away by missing a crosscourt backhand wide. Rogers then consolidated to love on an ace out wide for a 3-1 lead.
Down 2-4, Kerber fought off a break point, and then held with a backhand winner down the line.
In the game that followed, the lefty broke Rogers’ serve to tie the set 4-4.
Three holds later, Rogers served from down 5-6 to stay in the set and force a tiebreak.
Rogers mini-broke Kerber on a lucky net cord to win the first point point of the tiebreak, But Kerber won the next six points for a 6-1 lead. Kerber won the tiebreak 7-2 with a backhand winner, sending the match to a deciding third set.
In the first game of the rubber set, Rogers fended off an astonishing six break points, but double-faulted on a seventh, putting Kerber up 1-0. Rogers had a break point in the subsequent game, but lost it by missing a forehand wide.
Rogers got on the board with a hold to 15, and then broke back on a cat-and-mouse point to even the final set at 2-2.
The American later had a break point and the opportunity to take a 4-2 lead, but she lost on a forehand that sailed long, allowing Kerber to tie the set 3-3.
Rogers, in the next game, went down 15-40. She saved the first break point with an unreturned serve, but she missed a backhand long on the next one. Kerber then held for 5-3.
Serving to stay in the match, Rogers crushed four winners to make it 4-5. But Kerber successfully served the set out afterward, earning herself a Monday match against 2015 Wimbledon finalist Garbiñe Muguruza.
