- Kerber is in the quarter-finals
Angelique Kerber sparks hopes of a fairytale Olympic medal with her next shining performance, just before her career's end. With a 6:4, 6:3 win against former US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez, the Rio 2016 Olympic silver medalist continued her surprising success at the Summer Games in France, advancing to the quarterfinals. In this form, reaching the semifinals with a win against American Emma Navarro or Chinese Qinwen Zheng is possible.
After disappointing months filled with losses, Kerber is in the top eight for the first time this year, a success she's never achieved as a mother. While her retirement announcement brought the pressure of each match being her last, it also freed her from the usual expectations. In her left-handed duel with the 15-years-younger Canadian, Kerber showed a consistency unseen since her comeback at the start of the season.
Kerber surprises with impressive performance
With two rounds won in Paris, Kerber regained her confidence. The three-time Grand Slam champion made fewer errors than the world No.25 in the balanced first set and cleverly moved Fernandez around the court. Although she couldn't initially defend her lead in the first break at 2:1, she broke Fernandez again at 4:3 to take the set.
A day after the intense three sets against Romanian Jaqueline Cristian, Kerber seemed even more energized. The former world No.1 improved steadily and surprised with strong point-winning shots. After losing her serve at 1:1, she pulled away from the inconsistent Fernandez.
For the third time, after 2012 and 2016, Kerber reached an Olympic quarterfinal. According to the International Tennis Federation (ITF), no other German tennis player, male or female, has achieved this feat before.
In the doubles, Kerber, alongside Laura Siegemund, is also set to compete on the fourth day of the tournament in Paris.
Kerber's impressive form in Paris has secured her a quarter-final entry in the Olympic tennis events, aiming to continue her surprising success. With a potential win against either Emma Navarro or Qinwen Zheng in the next round, she could advance to the semifinals, making her quarter-final entry even more significant.
