It’s been several years since Maria Sharapova held the Wimbledon spotlight like she does now. And if she keeps up her current performance against German qualifier and Wimbledon surprise Sabine Lisicki, she’ll find that spotlight once again.
Sharapova currently leads Lisicki by one set already and is leading the second set 6-4, 3-1. After winning at Wimbledon in 2004, her performances since have not been so kind. Two straight semi-finals appearances came next, maintaining her edge through that time, but recent years featured early exits in the second and fourth rounds.
It’s too early to call, especially in light of what Jo-Wilfriend Tsonga accomplished against Roger Federer after two sets down. But Lisicki’s run is already historic, so expecting her to continue would be to defeat the overwhelming odds yet another time. If Sharapova can close out this second set, she’d be well positioned (and rested) to face the Czech winner Petra Kvitova in the women’s singles final at Wimbledon.