Goerges apologises for beating Bertens

Julia Goerges (Germany) bt Kiki Bertens (Holland) 3-6, 7-5, 6-1

Julia Goerges dropped her racket and froze temporarily on No1 Court at the magnitude of reaching her first grand slam semi-final.

You could understand the 13th seed’s bewilderment, after she came from a set down against Kiki Bertens to win 3-6, 7-5, 6-1. The German had suffered five successive first-round defeats at Wimbledon before this year and had clocked up 42 grand slam appearances without progressing beyond the fourth round.

Such was Goerges’s surprise, she even apologised to clay-court specialist and good friend Bertens at the net during their lengthy embrace for ending the 20th seed’s own remarkable run to the last eight.

“I said to her, ‘You don’t have to be sorry’,” Bertens said. “I’m really happy for you. You really deserved this. Keep on going, you can do this.”

Goerges, a solid server with a lethal forehand, now needs to recover from her shell-shocked state if she is to trouble eight-time champion Serena Williams in tomorrow’s semi-final. “I don’t have many words to describe the moment I’m going through right now,” she said. “It’s pretty unreal for me to get to that stage at a grand slam.

“It’s a great opportunity for me to meet Serena at the semi-final stage. It’s an honour to share the court with her.”

Goerges attributes her slow but steady performances in recent years to a complete overhaul of her team and training regime.

“Almost three years ago I went completely a new way. I took a new physio, a new coach and started everything from zero.

“Everything is worth it for the season I’m playing now.”