2013 was a special year at Wimbledon.
The final four in the ladies draw were set up for a first Grand Slam title. The only top 10 seed left was Agnieszka Radwanska but the fourth seed lost in a close battle to Sabine Lisicki losing 7-9 in the third set.
Marion Bartoli on the other side cruised past Kirsten Flipkens 6-1 6-2 in her semi-final to set up what would be a historic final in London.
The Frenchwoman got proceedings underway on serve but it was Sabine Lisicki who came out a little bit more composed and was striking the ball incredibly well in the early exchanges.
Nerves however did settle immediately despite some good striking in the first couple of points. Marion was broken and then Lisicki double on break point to level at one apiece.
Marion got the first hold and from there on in played at a hundred miles an hour. She knew if she stuck on the baseline too much then Sabine would have her way and continued to be a pest at the net cruising to a 6-1 lead.
Marion did almost lose her serve at the beginning of the second set but held off the German but began to really pull away taking a 3-1 lead very early on.
It quickly turned into a very sad moment for Lisicki who broke down in tears as she served to stay in the match at 1-5.
Sabine rallied together saving a championship point and holding serve. A backhand down the line in the following game pulled Bartoli back behind herself and was broken for the first time since the first game by the German.
Lisicki held and was still a break of serve down as Bartoli would serve for the title. An ace out wide a puff of white chalk flew into the air, Bartoli fell to the ground in dis-belief of winning her first and only Grand Slam title!
The 28 year old was absolutely fantastic throughout the fortnight in London. Her tennis was energetic and unorthodox as she won Wimbledon without dropping a set!
TennisTalk 
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