Angelique Kerber came into this match with a lot of confidence from her first two easy matches won against Laura Robson and Varvara Lepchenko. Her countrywoman, Carina Witthoeft also had a surprising easy win against the Romanian, Irina-Camelia Begu, and then against Kurumi Nara. This third round meeting is a rematch from last year at Wimbledon, when the two met in the first round, Kerber giving Witthoeft no chance, winning the match 6-0, 6-0.
A very disputed first set
At the beginning of the set, both players tested the other and made more mistakes as they were hitting the ball with a lot of power. In the first game, Witthoeft double faulted and Kerber got herself a break point. But Witthoeft came back hitting the ball quite strong and managed to hold her first game, a long game with a wonderful display of power and long rallies.
The two Germans are quite similar physically speaking, but Kerber has a plus value, as she is able to control better the ball and run from one part of the court to the other. Kerber can change the rhythm as the rallies prolong. Up until the third game the match had long rallies and some hard hitting exchanges, Kerber’s on knee shots being exquisite to watch. Immediately, Kerber made four consecutive points to break Witthoeft serve.
Kerber began to take full control of the set as Witthoeft started to make more errors than in the first two games of the set. But, Witthoeft managed afterwards to hold her serve easily and started to attack and put pressure on Kerber, a tactic which paid off as she got her break back. The rallies began to be more and more intense, both hitting extremely hard. Kerber’s movement on the court and with some little help from Witthoeft’s double faults put the lefty German in front. But her countrywoman had a saying in that too, with some more courage she held her serve to take the lead at 4-3.
So far, both experienced some up and downs in terms of form and concentration. At 30-all in the eighth game, Kerber lost a long rally and then an unforced mistake gave Witthoeft the chance to serve for the first set at 5-3. However, yet again, Witthoeft was unable to close the game and the set in her favor, she made two double faults and her shots were not in the right place.
Even though Kerber experienced some trouble, especially with her two-handed backhand, the leftie German managed to stay in the set and push things into an eleventh game. The roles immediately reversed, and Kerber was the one who served for the second set at 6-5. However, Witthoeft didn’t give up fighting and she broke Kerber at love.
In the tiebreak, Witthoeft started more aggressively, just like she was in the whole first set, Kerber saw herself being pushed back, always in a defending position. A position from which Kerber can still come back from and exploit her opponent weaknesses. Again things took an unforeseen turn and Kerber had out of nowhere four set points. But continuing on the same storyline from the first set, Witthoeft saved them all to level it at 6-6. From this point on every point could have been a decisive one.
Kerber went on to save a set point with a dropshot to win afterwards a fifth set point. Witthoeft impressed again by playing some wonderful tennis under pressure. Things got tighter at 11-11 each wasting five, respectively 4 set points, but in the end Kerber prevailed and converted on her sixth set point. After such a well-balanced first set it was interesting to see if Witthoeft could keep up the same level or if Kerber can finally take things in her hands and be more aggressive and active.
A rain disturbed second set in which Kerber prevailed
In the second set, Kerber started by played better the deuce points and after holding her serve only an outstanding forehand down the line could prevent Kerber from breaking her countrywoman fellow at the first attempt. But even so, she managed to break Witthoeft's’s serve after the best exchange of the match.
Kerber came back on serve but only managed to win one point before the match got suspended due to a rain delay. Three more games got to be played before the rain started again. Kerber immediately got in the front at three - love Witthoeft needed five tries to be able to hold her serve, just so Kerber could win her serve before the match got suspended again.
Not even the second time was with charm for Witthoeft as Kerber came recharged with positive energy and was better at the important moments when she converted her third break point to take the lead 5-1 and to serve for the set. The last game was a simple formalization for Kerber, she ended the game on a mistake from Witthoeft which was her undoing today. Kerber had 22 unforced errors whilst Witthoeft made double the number, 44.
Angelique Kerber moves on into the fourth round, here at Wimbledon, where she will meet the Japanese, Misaki Doi. Also a presumed easy win which could mean a new encounter in the quarterfinals with Simona Halep, who will have to move past Madison Keys.