In one of the most anticipated matches on Manic Monday was shunted out to No.2 Court. The battle between Grand Slam champions, the 14th seed Garbiñe Muguruza and top seed Angelique Kerber, who were the runners-up at Wimbledon in the last couple of years losing to Serena Williams.
However, it was last year's French Open champion Garbiñe Muguruza who defeated last year's runner-up Angelique Kerber, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 advancing to her second Wimbledon quarterfinal in three years. Muguruza's victory over Kerber means that Karolina Pliskova or Simona Halep will become the new world number one at the conclusion of the tournament.
Kerber claims the first set
Both players held serve in their opening service games of the match to get this fourth round encounter underway. The former world number two kept her nose in front with a commanding hold to love to lead 2-1. Last year's runner-up's second service game was easy, and the players remained locked in at 2-2 in the early stages with both players hitting the ball hard.
The 14th seed continued to serve well, and she utilized the skills, she learned from the time, when she used to play doubles. The Spaniard repeatedly played the volley which was causing the two-time Grand Slam champion some issues.
However, the former French Open champion won the first mini-battle of the match as she trailed 15-30 down. She continued to commit forehand unforced errors but Kerber created the first break point by producing a forehand winner down the line. Nonetheless, she saved it by pushing Kerber behind the baseline and a smash winner at the net.
Muguruza eventually held onto her serve with a crushing backhand winner down the line to lead 4-3. For the first time in the match, Kerber was under pressure at 0-30 down, however, the Spaniard was erratic and she committed plenty of backhand unforced errors but she held onto her serve with her trademark crosscourt forehand down the line forcing the error from Muguruza.
The former world number two would have slightly been disappointed not to have broken Kerber as the world number one gained the first break of the match with good defense, and forcing the backhand error from Muguruza.
Last year's beaten finalist took the opening set by virtue of a smash winner, taking the crucial first set in 43 minutes, taking it 6-4.
Muguruza survives to take the second set
The 2015 runner-up held serve to start the second set which was pivotal as the top seed was in a good run of form. Nonetheless, the world number one struggled to hold onto her serve but she got the job done restoring parity at 1-1.
Kerber was returning with intent in the Spaniard's second service game as she raced out to a 0-30 lead by producing two stunning back-to-back forehand winners, and a backhand winner down the line. Moreover, the German created her first break point of the set as she continued to frustrate Muguruza with her good defense. Furthermore, the 14th seed saved it with a stunning backhand winner down the line, and she held onto her serve with a volley winner.
The world number one continued to hold onto her serve with ease but there were more problems for the former French Open champion as once again, Kerber created another break point, coming out on top in a tremendous 18-shot rally. Once again, the Spaniard snuffed it out and nudged the scoreboard in her favor holding to lead 3-2.
Kerber later rued the missed opportunities to break as she had to fend off a break point in her own service game as both players continued to strike the ball beautifully in lengthy rallies, with winners coming from both the backhand and forehand side. Kerber
saved the break point and produced an ace out wide to restore parity once more at 3-3.
Both players had easier service games in their next two games with Muguruza leading 5-4 in the second set. Unfortunately, for the world number one, she was unable to serve to stay in the second set as Muguruza produced a crunching forehand winner down the line to ensure that their third Grand Slam encounter would go the distance for the third time.
Muguruza books her place in her second SW19 quarterfinal
With the 14th seed breaking Kerber at the end of the second set to take it, she had the advantage of serving first in the deciding set. However, from leading at 30-0 she committed three back-to-back untimely unforced errors, and the top seed gained the vital break with a crushing backhand passing winner down the line and she consolidated the break to lead 2-0.
The 2015 runner-up had not lost the ability to battle back as she easily held onto her next service game, and she broke the world number one back by portraying good aggression and she produced a backhand winner down the line to reduce the arrears, and equal the set at 2-2.
Both Grand Slam champions were struggling to hold onto their serves and they broke each other back with the match leveled at 3-3. There was no margin for error, and the turning point of the final set was the seventh game, where Kerber was unable to convert any of the four break points that she created.
The Spaniard overcame Kerber in a lengthy 10-minute game to take a crucial 4-3 lead in the final set. It was the first time in the final set that the former French Open champion managed to lead in the final set. The world number one would have been annoyed at herself but she held onto her serve easily to restore parity once more at 4-4.
The former world number two's shoulders relaxed at the heat of the moment, as she held serve, putting the pressure back onto Kerber, who had to serve to stay in the match.
It proved to be too difficult for the world number one as Muguruza stepped into the court, and bullied Kerber, creating two match points at 15-40. Nonetheless, the German fended off the first one with a good serve out wide, and she saved the second one which was gutsy with a backhand winner down the line after finding a first serve. However, a third one quickly followed, and Kerber's reign as world number one was over as her backhand tamely sailed into the net.
It was the 14th seed's fifth successive victory over the world number one, and she will play two-time Grand Slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova for a place in the semifinals tomorrow.