Top-ranked Safina rallies past German teenager Lisicki to reach 1st Wimbledon semifinal

Safina rallies past Lisicki in Wimbledon quarters

WIMBLEDON, England — Dinara Safina has reached her first Wimbledon semifinal after rallying to beat German teenager Sabine Lisicki 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-1

The top-ranked Russian looked shaky at times and double-faulted 15 times Tuesday, including on set point in the tiebreaker. But she broke the 19-year-old Lisicki four times in the decider and converted her first match point when the German missed a backhand wide

The match was played on a sun-drenched Centre Court, and Lisicki needed a medical timeout in the third set to have her right calf massaged and iced.

Safina will next play five-time champion Venus Williams.