Big things have been expected by the big-serving German since she burst onto the scene in 2009 by winning the premier event in Charleston (beating current WTA #1 Caroline Wozniacki in the final) for her first WTA tournament win. Her ranking surged into the top 30 and she ended the year ranked #23.

Injuries would mar her 2010, and Sabine was forced to play qualifying in Auckland in 2011 then failed to qualify for the 2011 Australian Open. Her year has gone up and up as the year progressed and her form really started to pick up on the grass. She won the title in Birmingham for her second tournament win and caused a number of upsets at Wimbledon, knocking out French Open champ Li Na of China and Marion Bartoli to reach the semifinals. Though she lost to finalist Maria Sharapova, Sabine’s great grass season brought her up in the rankings. She also made the Wimbledon final in doubles, partnering with US Open champ Sam Stosur of Australia.

Leading up to the US Open, Sabine won her third WTA title in Dallas and made her top 20 debut in late August. Following a fourth-round showing at the US Open, Sabine ended her season making the semifinals in the Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions in Bali.

She ended 2011 ranked #15 in the world, after a 48-18 record for the year.