2011 Wimbledon Women’s Recap: Run Ends for Defending Champ Serena

June 27, 2011 | By Monica Gorny
Serena_Pic

Serena Williams’ hopes for a fairytale comeback at the 2011 Wimbledon were forced to an abrupt end as the ninth-seeded Frenchwoman, Marion Bartoli, took out the defending champion in two sets, 6-3, 7-6 (6). Bartoli was a finalist on the SW19 grass courts in 2007, but has had trouble matching that result ever since. The Frenchwoman is coming off of a successful 2011 season thus far, having reached the semifinals of the 2011 French Open and won the Eastbourne tournament that precedes the Championships. This fourth round win is another stepping stone in Bartoli’s career, as in their previous encounters, the Frenchwoman has never managed to even take a set off Williams.

Bartoli’s serve proved to be her most powerful weapon against Williams who could never quite get a full swing at the ball. The Frenchwoman played most of the match from inside the baseline, sending balls to all corners of the court before Williams had a chance to react. It took Bartoli five match points, but with another penetrating serve, she edged her way into the quarterfinals. Bartoli will now play German wildcard Sabine Lisicki, who defeated Czech’s Petra Cetkovska, 7-6, 6-1.

It only took an hour and 21 min. for Russian Maria Sharapova to defeat Shuai Peng of China, 6-4, 6-2 and to advance to this year’s Wimbledon quarterfinal. Sharapova won the 2004 Wimbledon title at a tender age of 17 and is looking on track to repeat that feat.

After a shaky start, the Russian eased into the match and began bombarding her overpowering groundstrokes. After closing out the first set with a netted ball from Peng, Sharapova continued her fiery play in the second with a total of 19 winners to advance into the quarterfinals where she will play Slovakia’s Dominika Cibulkova. Cibulkova crushed world number one, Caroline Wozniacki’s efforts to win her first Grand Slam title with a 1-6, 7-6(5), 7-5 win.

Play continues on day eight of the Championships with the women’s quarterfinals.

Women’s fourth round results:

►Dominika Cibulkova(SVK)[24] defeated Caroline Wozniacki(DEN)[1] 1-6, 7-6 (5), 7-5

►Maria Sharapova (RUS) [5] defeated Shuai Peng (CHN) [20] 6-4, 6-2

►Sabine Lisicki (GER) defeated Petra Cetkovska (CZE) 7-6 (3), 6-1

►Marion Bartoli (FRA)[9] defeated Serena Williams (USA)[7] 6-3, 7-6(6)

►Tamira Paszek (AUT) defeated Ksenia Pervak (RUS) 6-2, 2-6, 6-3

►Victoria Azarenka (BLR) [4] defeated Nadia Petrova (RUS) 6-2, 6-2

►Petra Kvitova (CZE) [8] defeated Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) [19] 6-0, 6-2

►Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) [32] defeated Venus Williams (USA) [23] 6-2, 6-3


Monica Gorny
Centercourt
USTA NTC

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