Wimbledon 2011 Results: Can Sabine Lisicki Be a Future Wimbledon Force?

What kind of future does Sabine Lisicki have in women's tennis?

Yes, she did lose 6-4, 6-3 to No. 5 Maria Sharapova in her 2011 Wimbledon semifinal match, but does that mean she'll never be a force at the All-England Club?

Well, she's already 21 years old and hasn't won a grand slam yet.

While 21 doesn't sound like it's too old, the fact that she's this age and hasn't won a grand slam probably means she won't be the next big thing.

Venus Williams was just 20 years old when she won her first grand slam. Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova were both only 17 when they claimed their first grand slams.

But even if she won't be the next big thing in the sport, can she be a force at Wimbledon?

The numbers there are actually a little more in Lisicki's favor.

In 2009, she made a quarterfinal run. After missing 2010's tournament due to injury, she made it one round deeper in 2011.

While Sharapova thwarted her run to the finals, she had plenty of success on the way.

In the second round, she won this match against No. 3 Li Na, who had just won the French Open.

That was a notable match because at 6-3, 4-6, 8-6, it went long and her injuries, notably this one suffered in France, weren't lingering.

Okay, maybe Lisicki oversold that injury a little bit, but it's still noteworthy, given how much time she missed in 2010 due to injury.

After beating Na, Lisicki won in straight sets against Misaki Doi and Petra Cetkovska before a quarterfinal showdown with No. 9 Marion Bartoli. There, Lisicki survived another long match, winning 6-4, 6-7, 6-1.

Also, while she did lose in straight sets to Sharapova, Lisicki faired pretty well.

Sharapova still hasn't lost a set at Wimbledon 2011 and Lisicki's seven won games are better than anyone else has done against her, with the exception of Great Britain's Laura Robson, who lost 7-6, 6-3 in the second round.

But does one good run really mean she will be a force for a long time?

Well, while 21 isn't terribly young for women's tennis standards, it's not terribly old either, especially given the time she's missed due to injury.

Her last two runs at Wimbledon have been good, so expect more in the future.

Outside of Wimbledon, Lisicki has never reached the fourth round of a grand slam. Don't look for her to be a Williams sister or Sharapova. Just don't be surprised if she wins at the All-England Club in her career.