It looks like the end of an era as Venus and Serena exit on a day of big shocks
THE quarter-finals of the Wimbledon women’s singles event will be a Williams free zone for the first time since 2006 after both sisters suffered defeats yesterday, while No1 seed Caroline Wozniacki also fell by the wayside on a day of shocks.
Defending champion Serena was ousted in the fourth round by France’s Marion Bartoli 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) on Court One and just a few hours later five-time champion Venus lost on Centre Court to Bulgaria’s Tsvetana Pironkova 6-2, 6-3.
The sisters have dominated tennis’s All England Club for a decade, taking nine of the past 11 singles titles and have won four doubles championships together on the grass courts of SW19.
“You win some and you lose some,” said four-time champion Serena (left), the pre-tournament favourite even after almost a year out with illness and injury. “Today just happened to be the one that slipped under me.
“She played well. She should always play like this, and she would be in the top five at minimum. It’s like, Wow, where is this player throughout the rest of the year?”
“Definitely not our best day,” was Venus’s verdict after Pironkova defeated her at Wimbledon for the second straight year. “We both envisioned seeing this day going a little bit different.”
Meanwhile, Caroline Wozniacki will remain the world’s highest-ranked player until at least the beginning of August but her quest for a first grand slam title goes on after her 1-6, 7-6, 7-5 defeat by Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia.
“It’s disappointing because when you’re up 2-0 with a break and have a lot of break points that you don’t convert, that’s your own fault,” she said. “Normally I have a chance and I take it. That’s why I am where I am. But today it just didn’t go my way.”
Cibulkova will now face Maria Sharapova, the only former champion remaining in the draw, who beat China’s Peng Shuai 6-4, 6-2.
OUTSIDE COURT | WEATHER, GOSSIP AND TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS
A RIGHT ROYAL MESS
Prince William and his wife Kate made a surprise debut in the Wimbledon royal box, leaving Andy Murray wishing he’d bothered to shave. “If I’d known they were coming, I would have shaved. I was thinking to myself as I came off I was sweaty and very hairy. I said to them, I’m sorry, I’m a bit sweaty.”
DAY EIGHT HIGHLIGHT
Maria Sharapova might be the only former champion left in the draw, but on account of her over the top grunting, not to mention her ousting of home favourite Laura Robson, she’s not quite the darling of Centre Court she once was. By contrast, Tsvetana Pironkova earned new acclaim for her display against Venus Williams and her match against Petra Kvitova looks tasty.