Laura Siegemund is "pretty consistent with my weirdness", admits it can lead to confrontation

Laura Siegemund has long brought a flurry of drop shots, steady slicing and net rushes to the table. At 37, it's all come together in a career-best Wimbledon run.

On Sunday, Siegemund reached her second major singles quarterfinal by ending the dream run of lucky loser Solana Sierra. The German converted five of her eight break points to dispatch the 21-year-old, 6-3, 6-2.

Clay has long been her most successful surface and when it came down to switching surfaces in the past, Siegemund felt she didn’t get enough repetitions to develop a rhythm despite a style of play that would seem transferable.

“I felt like I never have really enough time to kind of get confidence from my grass game, and maybe the precision here and there and when to do what,” she explained to press.

“This time that I had already a few matches in Nottingham, and I felt that I had more matches, and I had more opportunity to get this confidence, and it's showing, yeah.”

A winner of three Grand Slam titles (one doubles, two mixed doubles), Siegemund’s unconventional approach goes beyond her racquet skills. Her career has involved a series of dustups with opponents on court—from a double-bounce controversy against Kristina Mladenovic at 2020 Roland Garros to the 2023 US Open with Coco Gauff when the time she was taking in-between points as a returner caused the American to press the issue with chair umpire Marijana Veljović.

The Filderstadt native owns that she's always been “slow” as it relates to time violations, while acknowledging her actions can rub others the wrong way.

“I know that I have some very controversial, like, habits, let's say. The only thing that I can say about them, they are really about me. I don't try to disturb anyone, although that might be interpreted like that,” she said.

“I'm pretty consistent with my weirdness that I have, let's say (laughing). It's nothing. I do it for me and not against other ones, but it does lead to confrontation sometimes. Then I'm just, like, Well, that's how I am.”

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka aims to show everybody that none of it matters, whether it’s Siegemund’s shot-making variety or the way she carries herself across the net.

“I’ll just show her that she doesn't annoy me. I played against a lot of tricky players who is doing all of those slice shots, approaching the net, going for lobs. I think mentally I know how to approach these players,” the three-time major singles winner said after securing a 10th consecutive victory over Elise Mertens.

“My focus going to be on myself. I really hope that I'm not going to waste my energy on focusing on another side.”

The two haven’t met since 2019, when Sabalenka won a match apiece on hard and clay courts. Siegemund is seeking a second Top 10 win this tournament, having ousted Australian Open champion Madison Keys in the third round.

“As I said after big wins before, I have this game and this maybe boldness—I don't know if that's the right word in English—to take out big names. I've always had that,” stated Siegemund. “Just maybe because I don't care who is on the other side. In a positive, respectful way I don't care.”