Defending champion Serena Williams's comeback at Wimbledon was halted today by France's Marion Bartoli. Serena's sister Venus and world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki also lost.
Serena Williams, who missed a year because of injury, lost 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) to the No. 9 seed in the fourth round. Five-time champion Venus lost 6-2, 6-3 to Tsvetana Pironkova, her second straight Wimbledon defeat to the Bulgarian. Wozniacki was beaten by Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia 1-6, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5.
The losses mean the Wimbledon women's champion won't be a Williams sister for the first time since 2006, when France's Amelie Mauresmo won. The American sisters have won 9 of the last 11 singles titles on the All England grass courts. For Wozniacki, it ends her pursuit of her first Grand Slam trophy.
The 2004 title holder Maria Sharapova and No. 4 seed Andy Murray reached the quarterfinals. Former top-ranked Sharapova beat China's Peng Shuai, the No. 20 seed, 6-4, 6-2. Britain's Murray beat France's Richard Gasquet 7-6 (7-3), 6-3, 6-2 on Centre Court in front of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Second seed Novak Djokovic of Serbia beat France's No. 19 seed, Michael Llodra 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.
The 29-year-old Serena Williams, a four-time champion, suffered her earliest defeat at Wimbledon since 2005.
"Really, my mentality was just to do the best that I could and just continue that," Serena Williams told a news conference. "And today I tried to do well. Marion played really well."
Bartoli Victory
The American won last year's tournament, and then lost almost a year, dropping out of the top 10 last month, and is now ranked 25th. Because of her success on the grass courts in London, she had been seeded No. 7. Serena and her older sister Venus could only have met in this year's finals. After today's loss, Serena's ranking is projected to drop to around No. 180, according to the women's WTA Tour.
Bartoli, 26, was the runnerup to Venus Williams in 2007 at Wimbledon. It's the first time she's beaten Serena Williams in three attempts.
"To beat Serena is almost like a dream come true," Bartoli told the British Broadcasting Corp. shortly after the match. "Serena is very imposing, is a huge opponent over the net. I was trying to stay in my own bubble, trying to forget who I was playing."
Sharapova Wins
Sharapova's win puts her in the quarterfinals for the first time since 2006, when she lost in the semifinals.
Earlier this month, the Russian reached her first semifinals at the French Open, where she lost to eventual champion Li Na of China. It was Sharapova's first Grand Slam semifinal since she came back two years ago following a nine- month lay-off during which she had shoulder surgery.
"It's great," Sharapova said in a televised interview. "Last year, I lost in the fourth round against Serena Williams. This year, I am in the quarterfinals and am giving myself an opportunity to go further."
Sharapova, who took the Wimbledon title aged 17 in 2004, has also won the 2006 U.S. Open and the 2008 Australian Open. Peng is the third Chinese woman to reach the top 20 on the WTA Tour rankings.
Murray Wins
Murray now has won three of the five times he's meet Gasquet, who was seeded 17th. The wins have all come in Grand Slam events.
It's the 24-year-old Murray's fourth straight quarterfinals at the All England Club. He's trying to become the first British man since Fred Perry in 1936 to win the event, and is on an eight-match winning streak, having taken the title at the Queens's Club warmup tournament.
"Conditions were really hot today so it was important to get on top of your opponent," Murray said afterward. "I can return better. I was happy with my serve. The best players ever are still in the tournament, so I'll need to improve."
Djokovic's victory gives the Australian Open champion his third win in four attempts against Llodra. Should Djokovic reach the final or defending champion Rafael Nadal not retain the title, the Serb will become top ranked in the men's ATP tennis tour.
Tomic Advances
On Court 12, Sabine Lisicki, the German wildcard who ousted French Open champion Li Na in the second round, beat Czech Petra Cetkovska, 7-6 (7-3), 6-1. Victoria Azarenka from Belarus beat Russia's Nadia Petrova, 6-2, 6-2. Both Azarenka and Lisicki also made the quarterfinals in 2009.
Australia's Bernard Tomic, the youngest man left in the draw aged 18, moved to his first Grand Slam quarterfinal by beating Belgium's Xavier Malisse, 6-1, 7-5, 6-4. Tomic, a qualifier, ousted No. 5 seed Robin Soderling of Sweden in the previous round. Tomic becomes the youngest man to reach the quarterfinals since Boris Becker in 1986.
After a day of rest yesterday on what's traditionally called the Middle Sunday, the entire men's and women's fourth rounds are played on what's dubbed Manic Monday. After frequent rain delays in the first week, temperatures have risen to as high as 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit), with thundery showers forecast later in the afternoon.
Men's top seed and defending champion Rafael Nadal of Spain plays former U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina today.
In other matches today, six-time champion Roger Federer of Switzerland plays Mikhail Youzhny, the No. 18 seed from Russia, and Mardy Fish -- the only American man left in the singles draw -- is taking on last year's finalist, Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic.
Serena Williams, who missed a year because of injury, lost 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) to the No. 9 seed in the fourth round. Five-time champion Venus lost 6-2, 6-3 to Tsvetana Pironkova, her second straight Wimbledon defeat to the Bulgarian. Wozniacki was beaten by Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia 1-6, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5.
The losses mean the Wimbledon women's champion won't be a Williams sister for the first time since 2006, when France's Amelie Mauresmo won. The American sisters have won 9 of the last 11 singles titles on the All England grass courts. For Wozniacki, it ends her pursuit of her first Grand Slam trophy.
The 2004 title holder Maria Sharapova and No. 4 seed Andy Murray reached the quarterfinals. Former top-ranked Sharapova beat China's Peng Shuai, the No. 20 seed, 6-4, 6-2. Britain's Murray beat France's Richard Gasquet 7-6 (7-3), 6-3, 6-2 on Centre Court in front of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Second seed Novak Djokovic of Serbia beat France's No. 19 seed, Michael Llodra 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.
The 29-year-old Serena Williams, a four-time champion, suffered her earliest defeat at Wimbledon since 2005.
"Really, my mentality was just to do the best that I could and just continue that," Serena Williams told a news conference. "And today I tried to do well. Marion played really well."
Bartoli Victory
The American won last year's tournament, and then lost almost a year, dropping out of the top 10 last month, and is now ranked 25th. Because of her success on the grass courts in London, she had been seeded No. 7. Serena and her older sister Venus could only have met in this year's finals. After today's loss, Serena's ranking is projected to drop to around No. 180, according to the women's WTA Tour.
Bartoli, 26, was the runnerup to Venus Williams in 2007 at Wimbledon. It's the first time she's beaten Serena Williams in three attempts.
"To beat Serena is almost like a dream come true," Bartoli told the British Broadcasting Corp. shortly after the match. "Serena is very imposing, is a huge opponent over the net. I was trying to stay in my own bubble, trying to forget who I was playing."
Sharapova Wins
Earlier this month, the Russian reached her first semifinals at the French Open, where she lost to eventual champion Li Na of China. It was Sharapova's first Grand Slam semifinal since she came back two years ago following a nine- month lay-off during which she had shoulder surgery.
"It's great," Sharapova said in a televised interview. "Last year, I lost in the fourth round against Serena Williams. This year, I am in the quarterfinals and am giving myself an opportunity to go further."
Sharapova, who took the Wimbledon title aged 17 in 2004, has also won the 2006 U.S. Open and the 2008 Australian Open. Peng is the third Chinese woman to reach the top 20 on the WTA Tour rankings.
Murray Wins
Murray now has won three of the five times he's meet Gasquet, who was seeded 17th. The wins have all come in Grand Slam events.
It's the 24-year-old Murray's fourth straight quarterfinals at the All England Club. He's trying to become the first British man since Fred Perry in 1936 to win the event, and is on an eight-match winning streak, having taken the title at the Queens's Club warmup tournament.
"Conditions were really hot today so it was important to get on top of your opponent," Murray said afterward. "I can return better. I was happy with my serve. The best players ever are still in the tournament, so I'll need to improve."
Djokovic's victory gives the Australian Open champion his third win in four attempts against Llodra. Should Djokovic reach the final or defending champion Rafael Nadal not retain the title, the Serb will become top ranked in the men's ATP tennis tour.
Tomic Advances
On Court 12, Sabine Lisicki, the German wildcard who ousted French Open champion Li Na in the second round, beat Czech Petra Cetkovska, 7-6 (7-3), 6-1. Victoria Azarenka from Belarus beat Russia's Nadia Petrova, 6-2, 6-2. Both Azarenka and Lisicki also made the quarterfinals in 2009.
Australia's Bernard Tomic, the youngest man left in the draw aged 18, moved to his first Grand Slam quarterfinal by beating Belgium's Xavier Malisse, 6-1, 7-5, 6-4. Tomic, a qualifier, ousted No. 5 seed Robin Soderling of Sweden in the previous round. Tomic becomes the youngest man to reach the quarterfinals since Boris Becker in 1986.
After a day of rest yesterday on what's traditionally called the Middle Sunday, the entire men's and women's fourth rounds are played on what's dubbed Manic Monday. After frequent rain delays in the first week, temperatures have risen to as high as 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit), with thundery showers forecast later in the afternoon.
Men's top seed and defending champion Rafael Nadal of Spain plays former U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina today.
In other matches today, six-time champion Roger Federer of Switzerland plays Mikhail Youzhny, the No. 18 seed from Russia, and Mardy Fish -- the only American man left in the singles draw -- is taking on last year's finalist, Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic.
