5:24PM
Newsday (N.Y.): Venus, Serena, Wozniacki out at Wimbledon
5:24 PM
By Art Spander
Special to Newsday
WIMBLEDON, England — They were talking of what could be. But on the warm Monday when Serena and Venus Williams, within two hours of each other, were ousted from Wimbledon, the issue should be of what was.
They had been the prima donnas, in the positive context of the term, of the All England Lawn Tennis Championships. One or the other won the previous four years — Serena in 2010, 2009, Venus in 2008, 2007 — and nine of the last 11.
The domination came to a halt as the second week of the 145th Wimbledon began, Marion Bartoli of France stopping an erratically hitting Serena, 6-3, 7-6 (6), in one fourth-round match and Tsvetana Pironkova defeating Venus, 6-2, 6-3, in another. That was the same score Pironkova, of Bulgaria, beat Venus last year in a quarterfinal.
Were they upsets? Perhaps, although with the Williamses coming off long absences because of health problems, perhaps not. Were they surprises? Absolutely, as was 24th-seeded Dominika Cibulkova's 1-6, 7-6 (5), 7-5 win over the top seed, Caroline Wozniacki, who despite her place on top of the WTA rankings never has won a Grand Slam event.
A minor surprise on the men's side was the 7-6 (5), 6-4, 6-4 triumph by Mardy Fish overTomas Berdych, one of last year's finalists. Fish, unexpectedly, guaranteed the United States would not go without someone in either men's or women's quarterfinals for the first time since 2006 and only the second time since 1911.
Venus, 31, hadn't played for five months because of a strained hip flexor until coming back two weeks ago. Serena was out nearly a year. She severely cut her right foot stepping on glass a week after winning Wimbledon, then was diagnosed with life-threatening pulmonary thrombosis, and finally developed a hematoma that required surgery.
"Considering my condition," said Serena, "I think I really did well. I never came here thinking I would lose. I was able to hang in there, and I can only get better. And that potentially can be really scary, because I can only go up from here, and I can do so much more."
Venus described her play against the 5-10 Pironkova, who has defeated her three times in a row, as "inexplicable." Venus missed overheads, swinging volleys, "shots I never miss."
But Venus reminded that both Williams sisters "hit the ground running," because they didn't want to miss another Grand Slam tournament.
"At least I wasn't making errors trying to keep the ball in," Venus said. "I made errors that normally would go as winners. So those balls will land pretty soon . . . I got ready for this tournament so fast. You wouldn't believe how quick it happened. With more time I can definitely play better.''
Serena, who will be 30 in September, tried to be philosophical. "Even if today I lost," she said, "I was able to kind of hang in there and play tough . . . I would have been sad being at home and watching it on TV, like I'm going to be soon."
The thought of some in tennis is it would have been sad for women's tennis if, with so little preparation, either Serena or Venus won. Could she appreciate that? "Yeah," Serena said sarcastically, "I'm super happy I lost. Go women's tennis."
- - - - - -
http://www.newsday.com/sports/tennis/venus-serena-wozniacki-out-at-wimbledon-1.2988416
Copyright © 2011 Newsday. All rights reserved.
Special to Newsday
WIMBLEDON, England — They were talking of what could be. But on the warm Monday when Serena and Venus Williams, within two hours of each other, were ousted from Wimbledon, the issue should be of what was.
They had been the prima donnas, in the positive context of the term, of the All England Lawn Tennis Championships. One or the other won the previous four years — Serena in 2010, 2009, Venus in 2008, 2007 — and nine of the last 11.
The domination came to a halt as the second week of the 145th Wimbledon began, Marion Bartoli of France stopping an erratically hitting Serena, 6-3, 7-6 (6), in one fourth-round match and Tsvetana Pironkova defeating Venus, 6-2, 6-3, in another. That was the same score Pironkova, of Bulgaria, beat Venus last year in a quarterfinal.
Were they upsets? Perhaps, although with the Williamses coming off long absences because of health problems, perhaps not. Were they surprises? Absolutely, as was 24th-seeded Dominika Cibulkova's 1-6, 7-6 (5), 7-5 win over the top seed, Caroline Wozniacki, who despite her place on top of the WTA rankings never has won a Grand Slam event.
A minor surprise on the men's side was the 7-6 (5), 6-4, 6-4 triumph by Mardy Fish overTomas Berdych, one of last year's finalists. Fish, unexpectedly, guaranteed the United States would not go without someone in either men's or women's quarterfinals for the first time since 2006 and only the second time since 1911.
Venus, 31, hadn't played for five months because of a strained hip flexor until coming back two weeks ago. Serena was out nearly a year. She severely cut her right foot stepping on glass a week after winning Wimbledon, then was diagnosed with life-threatening pulmonary thrombosis, and finally developed a hematoma that required surgery.
"Considering my condition," said Serena, "I think I really did well. I never came here thinking I would lose. I was able to hang in there, and I can only get better. And that potentially can be really scary, because I can only go up from here, and I can do so much more."
Venus described her play against the 5-10 Pironkova, who has defeated her three times in a row, as "inexplicable." Venus missed overheads, swinging volleys, "shots I never miss."
But Venus reminded that both Williams sisters "hit the ground running," because they didn't want to miss another Grand Slam tournament.
"At least I wasn't making errors trying to keep the ball in," Venus said. "I made errors that normally would go as winners. So those balls will land pretty soon . . . I got ready for this tournament so fast. You wouldn't believe how quick it happened. With more time I can definitely play better.''
Serena, who will be 30 in September, tried to be philosophical. "Even if today I lost," she said, "I was able to kind of hang in there and play tough . . . I would have been sad being at home and watching it on TV, like I'm going to be soon."
The thought of some in tennis is it would have been sad for women's tennis if, with so little preparation, either Serena or Venus won. Could she appreciate that? "Yeah," Serena said sarcastically, "I'm super happy I lost. Go women's tennis."
- - - - - -
http://www.newsday.com/sports/tennis/venus-serena-wozniacki-out-at-wimbledon-1.2988416
Copyright © 2011 Newsday. All rights reserved.
Reader Comments (102)
very good post! i will return for sure to your website.
Good submit! GA additionally be my largest earning. However, it's not a much.:)
It's possible you'll easily play a faiytale using a man who loves to argue пїЅC believe him.
very interesting details you might have remarked, love for publishing.
Have you got a spam problem for this blog; Alongside this am a blogger, and i also was wondering your circumstance;
A lot of people feel, the most beneficial, seriously the widely accepted choices; the widely accepted choices, often is the realistic most effective.
That is the truly great read i believe, Ought to confess that you'll be one of the greatest bloggers I ever saw.Thank you offering this informative post.
I more or less are in agreement with your whole thoughts you said into your article, especially in the beggining on your article. Thanks a lot, this data is rather valuable of course.
You guide me by sharing this toolbox i face problem whenever make the most of this plan seeing this blog i am able to easily use.
Your writing is effective offers food for thought. I hope that I??ll read more time to search through your website. Regards.
You'll want to take part in a contest for 1 of the finest blogs over the internet. I'm able to recommend this incredible website!
Hello! cedebec interesting cedebec site!
bueno yo siempre le voy a hacer barra a Espa?a los amo
Just about the most concise or over to go out with information I recently found on this subject topic. Sure glad i always navigated with your page mistakenly. IпїЅпїЅll be subscribing to your feed to make sure I'm able to discover the latest updates. Appreciate whatever here
An individual I get the job done with visits your website repeatedly and recommended it to me to go through also. The producing type is wonderful and also the subject material is pertinent. Thank you to the perception you provide the visitors.I study anything additional hard on fully different blogs every day. It ought to all the time be stimulating to find out content material from other writers and abide by merely a very little a person issue from their retailer. I'd favor to make usage of some with all the information on my weblog no matter if or not you don't thoughts. Natually I'll provide you a hyperlink on your own world wide web web site. Thank you for sharing.!
ItпїЅпїЅs good site, I'm in search of something this
I real thankful to seek out this site on bing, what precisely I'd been in search of : D also saved to favorites .
There is some validity but I??ll take hold opinion until I investigate it further. Good article , thanks therefore we wants more! Combined with FeedBurner on top of that
very worthwhile topic , great post.
Suppose lalalalalallala rotterdamasdasdjaisdjaidjaiojdas yeah w00h000 laksldasd jeweet selluf
Nice one for this post. You Rock! IпїЅпїЅll return.
This is the truly great read to do, Want to confess that you will be perhaps the best bloggers I ever saw.Many thanks for writing this informative post.
Can One now say, i'm talking about a new alleviation to locate somebody that can identify the things they go over on the internet. Surely discover how you'll be able to carry the situation in order to lighting along with deserve essential. The easiest way need to verify this and find out web pages of record. I am unable to believe you might be more frequent, when you must often use a surprise.
changed sole using a verdict of a
IпїЅпїЅve looked all-around to do this details. You're actually beneficial. Thanks so significantly. Download Pokemon Black and Pokemon White Rom Leaked!