Goerges downs Bertens, Serena up next in Wimbledon SF

London - Germany's Julia Goerges advanced to the Wimbledon semi-finals for the first time with a 3-6, 7-5, 6-1 win against Dutch 20th seed Kiki Bertens on Tuesday.

Goerges, seeded 13th, faces seven-time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams on Thursday for a place in Saturday's final.

"It is a great opportunity to play Serena here where she has won so many times and is a great champion. I think everyone here has a great chance so you have to take it," Goerges said.

Goerges had suffered five successive opening round defeats at the All England Club before this year.

It also took her until her 42nd Grand Slam appearance to finally get through to the last four at a major.

But the 29-year-old has erased those painful memories with a superb run, capped by a come from behind success against Bertens in her first Grand Slam quarter-final.

With Angelique Kerber also in the last four, it is the first time two German woman have made the semi-finals of a Grand Slam since Steffi Graf and Anke Huber at the 1993 French Open.

"Wow, it is pretty amazing. I just tried to fight for every point," Goerges said.

"I didn't quite take my chances in the first set but tried to stay calm and keep working for the points.

"It is never easy playing a friend and especially when you know an opponent so well. I'm just pleased with my game today."

Bertens was unable to follow her shock wins against five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams and Czech seventh seed Karolina Pliskova earlier in the tournament.

Wimbledon results on Tuesday, the eighth day of the 2018 championships (x denotes seeded player):

Women

Quarter-finals

Jelena Ostapenko (LAT x12) bt Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) 7-5, 6-4

Angelique Kerber (GER x11) bt Daria Kasatkina (RUS x14) 6-3, 7-5

Julia Goerges (GER x13) bt Kiki Bertens (NED x20) 3-6, 7-5, 6-1

Serena Williams (USA x25) bt Camila Giorgi (ITA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4

Men

Fourth round

Juan Martin del Potro (ARG x5) bt Gilles Simon (FRA) 7-6 (7/1), 7-6 (7/5), 5-7, 7-6 (7/5)

Wimbledon women's singles semi-finals line-up (x denotes seeded player):

Jelena Ostapenko (LAT x12) v Angelique Kerber (GER x11)

Julia Goerges (GER x13) v Serena Williams (USA x25)