Wimbledon 2013: Talking points from Day 8

Flipkens’s fairy tale

Kirsten Flipkens

Flipkens’s bad luck was that she was a Belgian junior prodigy who came to prominence when Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters were beginning to make an impact on the Grand Slams. Maybe she had it too easy at the beginning of her career but the backlash she’s received for not fulfilling her potential was certainly harsh. Not all junior champions reach the top of the game!

But last year she hit the ultimate rock bottom when blood clots in her legs kept her out of action for two months, dropping her ranking to 262. And to top it off, she lost her funding from the VTV (Flemish Tennis Association) which meant she couldn’t afford to take her coach with her on tour.

This is what makes her journey to the semifinals of Wimbledon so gratifying. Her consistent results over the last 12 months meant that she was seeded for the first time in her career and this meant that she had an easy run to the fourth round. Then she beat a good player in Flavia Pennetta and overcame the off-colour Kvitova yesterday.

Her game is solid and is surprisingly powerful with a serve that hits 114mph. She next faces grass court veteran Marion Bartoli in the biggest match of her career and after her win yesterday, I really wouldn’t be surprised if the Belgian could continue her fairy-tale journey to her first Grand Slam final.