She was close to going home in her second round match against Lisa Raymond before rallying to win in three sets. This time, another Venus Williams comeback fell short. The defending champion was ousted by 21 year-old Serbian Jelena Jankovic in three sets on Court No.2 7-6 (8), 4-6, 6-4 Saturday at the All England Club.
"It doesn't happen every day. It's a huge win," a pleased Jankovic expressed at a postmatch conference.
"I’m stronger as a player, and also physically I improved a lot. I can play three set matches."
Nicknamed "The Graveyard" for its penchant of upsets, it claimed another victim when the three-time Wimbledon champion committed 54 unforced errors and 12 double faults in the ugly third round defeat.
In an ironic twist of fate, Venus' younger sister Serena also was upset on the same court in the identical round last year by Jill Craybas. Maybe she was doomed from the start.
The 26 year-old sixth seeded American dropped a close first set tiebreak to fall behind. It was Jankovic who saved a couple of set points in the seesaw breaker before claiming it to jump ahead.
But much like what she did against Raymond, Williams fought back to take the second set. When the five-time slam winner got an early break in the final set to surge in front 2-0, it looked like she was in command. However, Jankovic, who played a cleaner game making just 21 errors fought to back to get on serve.
With the match hanging in the balance, she also was bigger by saving two break points in the seventh game to eventually hold for 4-3. After Jankovic battled Williams during a lengthy eighth game to break, she served for the match. But as usual, the resilient American champion broke back for 4-5, staying alive with a clutch forehand winner up the line.
But when push came to shove, a shaky Williams couldn't handle the pressure to stay alive. Despite gamely fighting off two match points, she came unglued thanks to a couple of more errors, including a short forehand which gave Jankovic the victory.
"[Jankovic] just played well. I wasn't able to play my best. I was having problems with my left wrist. There were definitely some things I could have done better. But as I said, she played well," the ousted champion said later.
"It definitely feels really weird, it definitely does. You win some, you lose some. I feel very positive about my game. Will it be hard to put it behind me? I hate losing, obviously. I'm used to winning, especially here. But as long as, God willing, I'm healthy, I'll be around next year, and I'll be around for the next tournament."
Jankovic's Round of 16 opponent will be ninth seeded Russian Anastasia Myskina, who defeated Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues (23) 6-3, 6-4.
Also advancing to a Round 4 matchup were top seeded Amelie Mauresmo and Serbian Ana Ivanovic. Mauresmo easily eliminated Australian Nicole Pratt 6-1, 6-2 while the 19th seeded Ivanovic posted a 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1 win over Russian Dinara Safina (14).
2004 winner Maria Sharapova (4) moved on with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over American Amy Frazier. She'll next meet Italian Flavia Pennetta (16), who was a 6-2, 6-3 winner over China's Shuai Peng.
Seventh seeded Russian Elena Dementieva setup a Round of 16 match with American Shenay Perry after defeating countrywoman Elena Likhovtseva (25) 7-5, 6-3.
Meanwhile, the 21 year-old Perry is the only American left standing in either field after ousting Austria's Sybille Bammer 7-5, 6-3.
She'll try to continue her best run at a slam against Dementieva Monday.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment