Angelique Kerber became the first player to book her berth in the semi-finals of Wimbledon Championships 2016 after pulling off a 7-5 7-6 conquest of Simona Halep.
In a battle which was dominated by service breaks, it was the fourth-seeded German who managed to get the better of her fifth-seeded Romanian counterpart after battling out for one hour and 30 minutes on Centre Court.
Halep’s defensive strategy did little to bother Kerber, who staged a stunning blend of power and guile.
The first set witnessed as many as nine service game breaks as it was all evenly poised at 5-5, before Kerber managed to seal two games in a row to take an early lead.
Kerber moved ahead twice in the second set but was broken back by Halep on both occasions to make it all square, before the former dominated throughout the tie-break to clinch her second ever semi-final place here.
“We both played a really good match and are both really good return players,” said Kerber, who was crowned the Australian Open champion earlier this year.
“I’m really happy that I won as it was really close,” the 28-year-old continued. “She’s moving so good and she’s fighting but I won the last point and that’s what counts.
“I’m being aggressive and moving good and I’m enjoying every day here. I’m so happy to be through to the semis.”
Kerber, who is yet to drop a set all tournament, will look to subsist her quest for the title when she takes on veteran American Venus Williams in the last-four stage.
