2013 Tennis Thread

Defending champion Williams blasts way into last 16

Serena Williams continued her march to a Wimbledon title defence with a 6-2 6-0 third-round win over Kimiko Date-Krumm, while there were also victories for Petra Kvitova, Agnieszka Radwanska and Li Na.
Williams broke three times to one in the first set before unleashing a bagel in the second, setting up a last-16 clash with Sabine Lisicki, who earlier on Saturday beat former US Open champion Sam Stosur 4-6 6-2 6-1.
The match was shifted to Centre Court to allow play to completion under the roof, with David Ferrer’s win over Alexandr Dolgopolov running to five sets on Court One.
Veteran Japanese Date-Krumm battled gamely and made few errors, but the world number one was just too powerful for her.
Strangely given their respective ages of 31 and 42, Williams and Date-Krumm had never previously played in a tournament.
There were brief moments where Date-Krumm’s enthusiasm and racquet skills buoyed the Centre Court crowd, and she did manage one break-back as Williams served for the first set at 5-1, but the American responded with a stanza-sealing break.
The second set was even more straightforward as Williams blasted through the still air to wrap things up in one hour and five minutes, although the final game was an entertaining tussle around deuce.
The response from fans was muted, and muscular Lisicki should provide a sterner test, but it appears nothing can stop the American from claiming a sixth Wimbledon and 17th Grand Slam title.
Former champion Petra Kvitova regained her focus overnight to return with a zip in her step and see off Russian Ekaterina Makarova 6-3 2-6 6-3 to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon.
The eighth-seeded Czech, champion in 2011, returned to court 2-1 down in the final set after bad light and drizzle stopped play on Friday and revelled in Saturday's warmer temperatures to take the deciding set 6-3.
Kvitova, quarter-finalist last year, briefly wobbled as 25th seed Makarova stemmed the tide with a break but the rally fizzled out and the Czech reasserted herself to set up a last 16 match with Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain.
American Sloane Stephens moved away from the abyss against lowly-ranked Czech Petra Cetkovska to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon for the first time where she will face another last-16 debutant in Puerto Rican Monica Puig.
In a match that was also completed over two days, the 17th seed lost eight games in a row after winning the first set on Thursday in a tiebreak, but from 2-0 down in the deciding set she pulled herself together to win it 6-4.
Madison Keys lost at Wimbledon on Saturday after fellow American Sloane Stephens came through her third round match but it was the teenager who got the plaudits after nearly upsetting last year's runner-up Agnieszka Radwanska.
Poland's Radwanska survived, winning 7-5 4-6 6-3, but Keys lived up to her billing as the American most likely to challenge for major honours when 16-times grand slam champion Serena Williams decides to hand over the baton.
Stephens, the 17th seed, survived to reach the last 16 at Wimbledon for the first time but she put in a patchy performance against 196th-ranked Petra Cetkovska to whom she lost eight games in a row before pulling off a 7-6(3) 0-6 6-4 victory.
Keys, 18, boasts a serve that former American great Chris Evert believes can turn into a weapon like that owned by world number one Williams, while she also has the heavy groundstrokes to back it up from the baseline.
Keys cracked down 15 aces against fourth seed Radwanska, with her first serve almost breaking the 120mph-barrier at times. Her total winner count was 67, compared to Radwanska's 23, although the unforced errors also piled up.
Radwanska was clearly impressed with what she saw.
"She was really playing great tennis," Radwanska, who beat Keys 6-1 6-1 in Miami this year, told reporters. "Especially she was serving unbelievable. Even when I had some break points a couple of times I couldn't do anything.
"I think a couple of months ago some journalist asked me who is one of the young players coming up. I picked her.
"She can really do well. If she's going to work and play like this, we're going to see her much more often."
Sixth seed Li Na overcame a second-set bagel to beat Klara Zakopalova 4-6 6-0 8-6. She faces Robert Vinci after the Italian ousted Dominika Cibulkova 6-1 6-4.

Round three results

1-Serena Williams (U.S.) beat Kimiko Date-Krumm (Japan) 6-2 6-0

4-Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) beat Madison Keys (U.S.) 7-5 4-6 6-3

6-Li Na (China) beat 32-Klara Zakopalova (Czech Republic) 4-6 6-0 8-6

8-Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic) beat 25-Ekaterina Makarova (Russia) 6-3 2-6 6-3

23-Sabine Lisicki (Germany) beat 14-Samantha Stosur (Australia) 4-6 6-2 6-1

Kaia Kanepi (Estonia) beat Alison Riske (U.S.) 6-2 6-3

Tsvetana Pironkova (Bulgaria) beat Petra Martic (Croatia) 6-1 4-6 6-2

Laura Robson (Britain) beat Marina Erakovic (New Zealand) 1-6 7-5 6-3

Monica Puig (Puerto Rico) beat Eva Birnerova (Czech Republic) 4-6 6-3 6-4

11-Roberta Vinci (Italy) beat 18-Dominika Cibulkova (Slovakia) 6-1 6-4

17-Sloane Stephens (U.S.) beat Petra Cetkovska (Czech Republic) 7-6(3) 0-6 6-4
 
Guess who? Djokovic, Murray and Serena lead unfamiliar cast

Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Serena Williams will head a cast of fresh-faced hopefuls on Monday as Wimbledon heads into the second week which will be a Federer-free zone for the first time in 11 years.
A second week which had promised back-to-back blockbuster matches after Murray, seven-times champion Roger Federer and 2008 and 2010 winner Rafa Nadal had been thrown together in the same half of the draw, will instead have a distinctly unfamiliar look to it following an unforgettable week of shocks.
Gone are Federer, Nadal, Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka - all former world number ones, all Grand Slam champions and who between them own 35 Major trophies.
Instead, the second week line-up includes an array of characters who had turned up at the All England Club expecting to play a supporting role but have been thrust into the limelight of a last-16 appearance.
French duo Kenny de Schepper and Adrian Mannarino, Poland's Jerzy Janowicz, Italy's Karin Knapp and Puerto Rican Monica Puig are ranked outside the world's top 20, have never won a main-tour title and had never previously reached the fourth round of a major.
Yet they all stand to pocket the biggest cheques of their lives - at least £105,000 - after a trail of destruction decimated the field at the grasscourt major.
"It's good for change in a way because top players are always expected to reach the final stages of major events. When it doesn't happen, it's a big surprise," Djokovic told reporters.
"It's a bit (of a) strange feeling not to have Federer or Nadal at the second week of a major. In the last 10 years, it was always one of them. But there's some (other) players who have been playing great tennis. I think it's interesting also to see new faces for the crowd, for (the) tennis world in general."
Nowhere is that more evident than in the bottom half of the draw where the highest seed world number two Murray can face before a hotly anticipated final against top-ranked Djokovic is his next opponent - Russian oddball and 20th seed Mikhail Youzhny.
The Russian is not averse to seeking outside help when things are not going his way as 12 months ago while he was being thrashed by Federer he went over to Centre Court's Royal Box and asked American great Andre Agassi how to beat the Swiss.
If he was to repeat the cheeky request to any of the 15,000 fans who will be packed into Centre Court on Monday, it will fall on deaf years as he will be playing the man Britain expects to end the host nation's 77-year search for a men's champion.
In fact, Britmania will reach a 15-year peak as for the first time since 1998, home interest will still be alive in both singles draws on the second Monday.
Laura Robson has finally started to live up to the promise she showed five summers ago when she won the junior Wimbledon title and will be backed to reach her first major quarter-final as she will be taking on Estonia's Kaia Kanepi, an opponent ranked eight places below the British number one.
While Robson's odds of winning the title are being slashed on a daily basis by excited British bookmakers, Djokovic remains the man to beat in the men's draw.
He has yet to drop a set and has surrendered a miserly 29 games, two fewer than Murray, in his three matches to date.
In the pick of the fourth-round showdowns, he is facing renaissance man Tommy Haas.
The German, who plummeted from a career-high second in the world in 2002 to almost 900th in June 2011, is playing some of the best tennis of his life at the age of 35 and loves playing on grass.
He shocked Federer to win the Halle title last June and knows he has the weapons to hurt the world number one as he downed Djokovic in both of their previous grasscourt showdowns and also in Miami earlier this year.
"Against Tommy Haas, it's going to be a big challenge for both of us. He had a few great wins lately," said Djokovic.
"He played again really well this season on grass. In general, this season he played great. He's 35, 36 years old, and he's been playing very close to the best tennis of his life, in my opinion. He's very fit. He doesn't look like a 35-year-old man, for sure. He's full of confidence on the court."
Woman's holder Williams is another member of the over-30s club and at 31, there is no doubt she is playing the best tennis of her life.
Winner of three of the last four slams, world number one Williams is hurtling towards grand slam title number 17, and sixth at Wimbledon, and so far no one has come close to derailing her.
Up next for her is Sabine Lisicki. The German beat Sharapova en route to the last eight 12 months ago and made it all the way to the semis in 2011 but only the very brave would put money on her replicating the feat this year.
 
Order of play: Monday July 1

The order of play for day seven at Wimbledon, with Serena Williams, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic on centre court.

Centre Court (13:00)

(1) Serena Williams (USA) v (23) Sabine Lisicki (GER)

(20) Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) v (2) Andy Murray (GBR)

(1) Novak Djokovic (SRB) v (13) Tommy Haas (GER)

Court 1 (13:00)

Laura Robson (GBR) v Kaia Kanepi (EST)

(23) A Seppi (ITA) v (8) Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG)

Bernard Tomic (AUS) v (7) Tomas Berdych (CZE)

Court 2 (11:30)

(4) David Ferrer (ESP) v Ivan Dodig (CRO)

(4) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) v Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL)

Court 3 (11:30)

(8) Petra Kvitova (CZE) v (19) Carla Suarez Navarro (SPA)

(11) Roberta Vinci (ITA) v (6) Na Li (CHN)

Fernando Verdasco (ESP) v Kenny De Schepper (FRA)

Court 12 (11:30)

(24) Jerzy Janowicz (POL) v Jurgen Melzer (AUT)

(15) Marion Bartoli (FRA) v Karin Knapp (ITA)

Court 14 (11:30)

Lukasz Kubot (POL) v Adrian Mannarino (FRA)

Court 18 (11:30)

(20) Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) v Flavia Pennetta (ITA)

Monica Puig (PUR) v (17) Sloane Stephens (USA)
 
Henman backing Murray - but is wary of tempting fate

Twelve years have ****** since Tim Henman had his best chance to win Wimbledon and we all know what happened then.
Against wildcard Goran Ivanisevic, he came from a set down to seize a winning position, only for the rain to intervene in a semi-final spread over three overcast and ultimately downbeat days.
Passing time allows Henman to afford a wry smile when told that the stars are now similarly aligning for Andy Murray, after a week of upsets at the All England Club.
But he knows to his eternal cost what can happen if you try to write a prematurely happy ending... it usually ends in tears.
“I’m not a great believer in fate,” said Henman.
“Only you are responsible for your actions and I never really got caught up by what was happening around me.
“I think Andy has been pretty level-headed about this week. Of course, with all the upsets, it’s going to increase the expectation but he’s doing a great job of staying focussed on the job.
“In some ways, Rafa and Roger going out doesn’t really make a big difference. Andy is the second seed, which, on paper, means he should make the final anyway. However, not having to play them isn’t a bad thing.”
Perhaps only Henman can empathise with Murray in the days ahead. After all, he invented Henmania and, while Murraymania doesn’t have quite the poetry, the symptoms are the same, perhaps even more acute.
“Watching now, I think I’m much more aware of the pressure that would have been on me than I was at the time,” added Henman.
“I did a very good job of not reading any newspapers during Wimbledon, not listening to the radio and not paying attention to anything anyone was saying.
“My parents saved all the Wimbledon newspapers each year and I used to spend 30 minutes reading them at Christmas.
“I remember thinking that if I’d known what was being written, or knew about all the expectation, then playing tennis would have been virtually impossible.
“It’s hard to ignore when you are a home player but you have to do it.
“In some ways, I think I made it a little easier for Andy. When I was playing, there hadn’t been a home contender for such a long time. When Andy was growing up and starting playing here, then he was able to see what I was going through and maybe that helped.”
Henman took time out from his commentary and All England Club duties to put some of the next generation of British players through their paces as part of the HSBC Road to Wimbledon, a grass roots tournament which starts with 20,000 players nationwide and concludes with final matches on SW19’s manicured lawns.
While Murray and Laura Robson have enjoyed solid campaigns – it’s the first time since 1998 that there are still British players involved in Wimbledon’s fourth round – others did not enjoy a week to remember.
The eight remaining British singles players all lost their first round matches and won just one set between them.
Some later grumbled that too often their entire seasons were judged on their performance here, no matter what they achieve elsewhere, but Henman has no time for that argument.
“It’s just a massive opportunity for a British player and we are lucky to have Wimbledon as our home tournament and it’s an asset not a burden,” he added.
“It’s a great carrot. It should inspire you competing here. It inspired me as a six-year old watching Bjorn Borg and when I read that we had the best tournament in the world but no players to compete in it, it made me more determined.”
Murray will take on Mikhail Youzhny in today’s fourth round after he came through in straight sets 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 against Viktor Troicki. The second seed has won both his previous matches against the Russian, who is ranked 26th in the world, though their last encounter was four years ago.
After three straightforward and straight-set wins, some have questioned whether Murray will require a tougher match before the tournament reaches its conclusion, but Henman insists he won’t be bothered.
“He’s been tested at points of all his matches and he’s come through well,” he added.
“I don’t think having a really tough five-setter is going to help him. He’ll be very happy with progress like this throughout the tournament.
“He’s a better player than ever but, while it’s his best chance, he knows nothing can be taken for granted.
“Andy can win because he got so close last year and his grass-court record is fantastic. I’d still say that Novak Djokovic is a very slight favourite to win but I think that Andy’s a very close second favourite.”
 
Ferrer grinds down Dodig to reach quarter-finals

David Ferrer wore down Croatia's Ivan Dodig with his high-energy scrambling to move into the Wimbledon quarter-finals with a 6-7 (3) 7-6 (6) 6-1 6-1 win on Monday.
The Spanish fourth seed arrived 10 minutes late on Court Two and was slow to impose himself on the match, losing the first set in a tiebreak before winning the second the same way.
Dodig, ranked 49th in the world, could not maintain his consistency as the match wore on and his serve, which had been such a weapon in the early stages, faltered to allow Ferrer to turn the screw.
After failing to win a point on the Dodig serve for four successive games in the second set, Ferrer broke three times in the third and twice in the fourth to wrap it up.
Ferrer, who has now reached seven successive Grand Slam quarter-finals, will next face eighth seed Juan Martin Del Potro or Italian Andreas Seppi.
Poland has waited 33 years for a male quarter-finalist at a Grand Slam but two arrived within a few of minutes of each other at Wimbledon on Monday as Jerzy Janowicz and Lukasz Kubot set up an unlikely last-eight clash.
The big-serving Janowicz edged past Juergen Melzer 3-6 7-6 6-4 4-6 6-4, collapsing to the court in disbelief after finally subduing the Austrian veteran.
Then 130th-ranked Kubot launched into his party piece can-can dance routine to celebrate a 4-6 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-4 victory over fellow outsider Adrian Mannarino of France.
Janowicz, seeded 24, struggled to get to grips with the left-handed Melzer in the early stages on the tight confines of Court 12, but gradually turned up the heat.
Several exchanges with the umpire and even some back-chat with Melzer's courtside team fired up the towering Pole who produced some ear-splitting roars after winning crucial points.
When he broke Melzer's serve to lead 3-2 in the fourth set Janowicz seemed to have taken control but his concentration wavered and the 32-year-old Melzer hit back to drag an entertaining, and occasionally fractious, contest to a decider.
This time Janowicz got the break and did not falter to go one round better than last year when he reached the third round on his Grand Slam debut after qualifying.
The winner of his match against Kubot, who benefited from a walkover against Rafa Nadal's conqueror Steve Darcis in the second round, will be the first Polish man to reach a Grand Slam semi-final.
Wojtek Fibak was the last Polish man to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final, losing three times in the last eight in 1980.

Round four results

4-David Ferrer (Spain) beat Ivan Dodig (Croatia) 6-7(3) 7-6(6) 6-1 6-1

24-Jerzy Janowicz (Poland) beat Jurgen Melzer (Austria) 3-6 7-6(1) 6-4 4-6 6-4

Lukasz Kubot (Poland) beat Adrian Mannarino (France) 4-6 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-4
 
Robson's run ended in fourth round by Kanepi

Laura Robson saw her inspired run at the All England Club ended at the fourth-round stage by Kaia Kanepi of Estonia, who won their match 7-6(6) 7-5.
Former quarter-finalist Kanepi - who has risen as high as 15 in the world rankings - produced a big-serving fourth round performance but was pushed by Robson, who will certainly rue missed opportunities to reverse the result.
"I'm just really disappointed," said Robson, who will still move into the world's top 30 as a result of her efforts in SW19.
"I had my chances and I didn't take them. I thought she played a very solid match, she hits the ball so hard and it was tough for me to stay in the rallies.
"It is always tough to get rhythm against such a powerful player, I tried to mix things up but I wasn't really able to do it well enough.
"On paper I'm higher ranked, so I can understand why I was favourite. However, she's made the quarters here before, she is very tough on grass and clearly loves Wimbledon.
"I thought it was evenly matched before the game and that's the way it went.
"I really believed that I had a chance of winning and I felt confident going in, perhaps I put too much pressure on myself."
It was only the second appearance in a Grand Slam last 16 for the British number one - who reached a similar stage at last year's US Open - but she knows she is better than the 7-6, 7-5 scoreline.
Kanepi, ranked 12 places below world number 38 Robson, has made a habit of claiming British scalps in recent weeks - beating Heather Watson at the French Open and home wildcard Tara Moore in the first round at SW19.
Robson is the first British women's player to reach the fourth round in 15 years and was seeking to end an even longer wait for a quarter-finalist - Jo Durie reaching that stage in 1984, when she was beaten by Hana Mandlikova.
Both players appeared nervous in the early exchanges but Robson finally started to find her range and rhythm with her powerful groundstrokes and thudding forehands.
She had the chance to serve for the set at 5-4 but was broken as Kanepi rallied and the opener headed for a tie-break.
Robson established a mini break to establish a 5-2 lead but Kanepi then won four points on the spin and while the British number one saved her first set opportunity, the momentum was on the side of the Estonian, who seized her second set point chance.
Robson held her nerve and saved two break points at 3-3 in the second set but her trusty forehand then started to stutter.
And Kanepi finally broke to love at 5-5 and then served out the match at the first opportunity, although not before the home favourite saved three four points in some late but ultimately futile resistance.
But Robson, who also reached the fourth round at last year's US Open, insists she would take positives from the last seven days - with no British woman reaching the last 16 since 1998.
"It's been an overwhelming experience, crazy but in a good way and I'm just hoping to do better next year," she added.
"I think I put a lot of pressure on myself, I was trying to will myself to play incredible tennis and although it is cliched, this is part of a learning experience.

Round four results

6-Li Na (China) beat 11-Roberta Vinci (Italy) 6-2 6-0

8-Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic) beat 19-Carla Suarez Navarro (Spain) 7-6(5) 6-3

17-Sloane Stephens (U.S.) beat Monica Puig (Puerto Rico) 4-6 7-5 6-1

20-Kirsten Flipkens (Belgium) beat Flavia Pennetta (Italy) 7-6(2) 6-3

23-Sabine Lisicki (Germany) beat 1-Serena Williams (U.S.) 6-2 1-6 6-4

Kaia Kanepi (Estonia) beat Laura Robson (Britain) 7-6(6) 7-5
 
Serena Williams out after shock loss to Lisicki

Sabine Lisicki pulled off a remarkable upset to defeat top seed Serena Williams 6-2 1-6 6-4 in the last 16.
Serena, the reigning champion and winner of the French Open, has looked untouchable since the start of the tournament, and was unbeaten in 34 matches going into the last-16 clash.
But Lisicki, the 23rd seed with a strong record at Wimbledon in recent years, paid no heed to the form book and raced through the first set 6-2.
The champion roared back, levelling the match with a nine-game winning streak and taking an immediate break in the deciding set.
But once again Lisicki was not done, twice breaking back to get on terms in the third and then converting another to serve out at 5-4.
She spurned a match point, but took her second before breaking into tears in front of the rapturous Centre Court crowd.
"I didn't play the big points good enough," Serena reflected afterwards of her loss. "I had a little hesitation. That explains it."
She also added that Lisicki, a 23-year-old who is has now reached the last eight at Wimbledon for the fourth time, could not be considered a shock winner.
"Every time I step out on the court I'm the favourite. I've got used to that.
"[But] it's not a shock. She plays really good on grass. She has a massive serve so I went into it knowing it's not going to be an easy match."
After dropping just 11 games in the first week, her surprise exit, which mirrored those of former men's champions Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal last week, ended Williams's win streak at 34 matches and it was only her fourth loss in the last 76.
Lisicki took advantage of a somewhat sluggish Williams to seize the first set, her strong serve and fizzing groundstokes at times leaving the multiple grand slam winner rooted to the spot.
The American, aghast, annoyed and berating herself after each error, desperately searched for the missing aggression and from 1-0 down in the second, reeled off nine games in a row.
She made no unforced errors to breeze through the second set and appeared to have knocked the stuffing out of her reeling opponent.
But the doubts began to creep back into her game as each time she appeared to be in control, the German answered with breaks of her own before Williams dropped her serve to trail 5-4.
Williams saved one match point, then ****** a break point of her own before Lisicki sealed the biggest victory of her career with a rasping forehand winner.
Lisicki next meets Kaia Kanepi for a place in the semi-finals, after the Estonian overcame British hope Laura Robson 7-6(6) 7-5.
Li Na romped into the Wimbledon quarter-finals with a 6-2 6-0 victory over Roberta Vinci.
The 2011 French Open champion served for the first set at 5-0 up but was broken by the doubles specialist, who raised loud cheers on Court Three as she finally registered a game against her name on the scoreboard.
The 30-year-old Vinci, seeded 11th, held her next service game but from then on Li was an unstoppable ***** as she won the next seven games to reach the last eight at Wimbledon for the third time.
The Chinese favourite will next face either 2012 runner-up Agnieszka Radwanska or Bulgaria's Tsvetana Pironkova.
Petra Kvitova flew the flag for former Wimbledon champions on Monday when she became the first to make the quarter-finals with a 7-6 6-3 win over doughty Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro.
After the high-profile departures of Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova in the first week - and then Williams - Kvitova sneaked through on a blustery Court Three before the main fourth-round action had started on the big show courts.
It was not all plain sailing for the 2011 champion, who has yet to rediscover the consistency that took her to world number two 20 months ago.
"I was pretty nervous today...I didn't play my best, especially in the first set. But it's important to win the last point which was what I did," Kvitova told a news conference.
Suarez Navarro, 24, the last Spanish woman in the draw, harried her from the baseline, moving fast, returning early and chasing down the Czech's booming groundstrokes.
She was watched in the stands by Fed Cup captain Conchita Martinez, the only Spanish woman to win the Wimbledon title when she beat Martina Navratilova in the 1994 final.
Eighth seed Kvitova, 23, broke the Spaniard's serve and should have finished off the first set in the 12th game but nervy shots allowed Suarez Navarro to break back, using her rare and elegant single-handed backhand to stinging effect.
With big names like the injured Victoria Azarenka and former world number one Caroline Wozniacki gone, Kvitova was clearly feeling the weight of expectation.
"Everybody is talking about that I'm the highest seeded player in my half, I'm supposed to be already in the final. It's not really easy to hear that," she said.
But the statuesque Czech's power eventually proved too much for her more diminutive opponent and she pressured Suarez Navarro into slapping a forehand into the net to take the set 7-5 in the tiebreak.
Emerging victorious from a tight tiebreak appeared to energise Kvitova and she bowled through the second set in 34 minutes, using her big left-handed serve, long reach and strength to quell her Spanish opponent.
Kvitova will play 20th seed Kirsten Flipkens in the quarter-finals on Tuesday.
"I lost against her last time in Miami. So I hope that I can play better tennis than in the last match," she said.
"We've never played on the grass, which is quite difficult."

Round four results

6-Li Na (China) beat 11-Roberta Vinci (Italy) 6-2 6-0

8-Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic) beat 19-Carla Suarez Navarro (Spain) 7-6(5) 6-3

17-Sloane Stephens (U.S.) beat Monica Puig (Puerto Rico) 4-6 7-5 6-1

20-Kirsten Flipkens (Belgium) beat Flavia Pennetta (Italy) 7-6(2) 6-3

23-Sabine Lisicki (Germany) beat 1-Serena Williams (U.S.) 6-2 1-6 6-4

Kaia Kanepi (Estonia) beat Laura Robson (Britain) 7-6(6) 7-5
 
British women's drought hits 30 years as Robson falls

Laura Robson began the second week of Wimbledon looking to become the first British woman to reach the quarter-finals since 1984 but took just over 90 minutes to depart in tears as she was beaten in straight sets by Estonian Kaia Kanepi on Monday.
Robson, 19, awoke to newspaper stories predicting fame, riches and good odds of a future grand slam title but in a ragged, error-strewn display she was dispatched 7-6(6), 7-5 by the big-serving 36th-ranked Kanepi who reached the quarter-finals for the second time.
Robson, seeking to become the first home woman quarter-finalist since Joe Durie 29 years ago, broke for a 5-4 lead in the first set but was loose again when serving for it and was outgunned in the tiebreak despite again having an early mini-break.
Robson, roared on by a packed Number One Court crowd desperately willing her on, Robson just could not find her touch with her normally destructive forehand and Kanepi broke for a 6-5 lead and, after seeing four match points saved, took a deserved victory on her fifth.
While Robson left the court ****** tears of anger and frustration, Kanepi can look forward to a last-eight battle with Sabine Lisicki after the German upset top seed Serena Williams.
 
Robson claims pressure derailed her Wimbledon ambitions

Laura Robson told her new fan club to keep the faith, claiming her Wimbledon dreams are just work in progress.
The 19-year old British number one went down 7-6, 7-5 to Estonia's Kaia Kanepi in the fourth round at the All England Club.
She was aiming to be the first home player into the women's quarter-finals since Jo Durie 29 years ago but she spurned too many opportunities, including a chance to serve for the first set and 5-2 lead in the opener's tie-break.
"I'm just really disappointed," said Robson, who will still move into the world's top 30 as a result of her efforts in SW19.
"I had my chances and I didn't take them. I thought she played a very solid match, she hits the ball so hard and it was tough for me to stay in the rallies.
"It is always tough to get rhythm against such a powerful player, I tried to mix things up but I wasn't really able to do it well enough.
"On paper I'm higher ranked, so I can understand why I was favourite. However, she's made the quarters here before, she is very tough on grass and clearly loves Wimbledon.
"I thought it was evenly matched before the game and that's the way it went.
"I really believed that I had a chance of winning and I felt confident going in, perhaps I put too much pressure on myself."
But Robson, who also reached the fourth round at last year's US Open, insists she would take positives from the last seven days - with no British woman reaching the last 16 since 1998.
"It's been an overwhelming experience, crazy but in a good way and I'm just hoping to do better next year," she added.
"I think I put a lot of pressure on myself, I was trying to will myself to play incredible tennis and although it is cliched, this is part of a learning experience.
"The more I'm in these kind of situations, the more I'm going to benefit as a player."
 
Serena exit leaves Wimbledon in twilight zone

Wimbledon entered the twilight zone on Monday as Serena Williams became the latest high-profile champion to fade into oblivion at a tournament where reputations and star status are counting for nothing.
Just when it seemed that this year's grasscourt major had exhausted its quota of shocks with grand slam champions Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer, Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka all blotted out of the draw by the second round, along came Sabine Lisicki.
The German, playing a brand of fearless tennis that many ***** of but only the brave produce, jettisoned the American holder 6-2 1-6 6-4 to leave Wimbledon gasping in disbelief once again.
Lisicki also struggled to catch her breath.
"I'm still shaking, I'm so happy," gulped a tearful Lisicki, who fell flat on her stomach in her moment of triumph. "It's amazing, I love this court so much. It's unbelievable!"
It certainly was unbelievable because even before the first-week exodus of big names, Williams had been the overwhelming favourite to win a sixth title having triumphed at three of the last four majors.
She walked on court armed with the knowledge that she was on a 34-match winning streak and had suffered only two losses all year.
That record failed to salvage her Wimbledon dreams and her exit left world number four Agnieszka Radwanska as the highest seed and Czech Petra Kvitova as the only former champion still alive in the women's draw.
Eighth seed Kvitova dispatched Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro 7-6(5)6-3 to set up a last-eight meeting Belgian Kirsten Flipkens.
William's downfall also meant that Sloane Stephens was the only American, man or woman, to reach the quarter-finals.
The 20-year-old lived up to her billing as the next generation of American tennis by beating Puerto Rican teenager Monica Puig 4-6 7-5 6-1.

DOUBLE BAGEL

At the other end of the age spectrum, Li Na proved that 31-year-olds can still do damage on grass as she narrowly missed out on dishing out the dreaded double bagel during a 6-2 6-0 thrashing of Italian 11th seed Roberta Vinci.
Day seven at Wimbledon is unique as it is the only one of the four grand slams to schedule 16 fourth-round showdowns - both in men and women's singles - on the same day.
But after a week of seismic shocks decimated the draw and left it shorn of house-hold names, it was a case of guess who for the fans who wandered around the outside courts.
Lukasz Kubot v Adrian Mannarino on Court 14?
"Oh it's a couple of nobodies!," quipped one spectator as he craned his neck to see the names on the on court scoreboard.
Had the fan stuck around to see the match to its conclusion, he would have caught sight of Kubot doing his bizarre can-can victory jig along the service line following his absorbing 4-6 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-4 win over Frenchman Mannarino.
Kubot and Mannarino were among four players outside the top 100 who had made it to the second Monday at Wimbledon.
Before the start of day eight, Kubot was the only long, long shot to battle on as 166th-ranked Flavia Pennetta succumbed in straight sets to Flipkins and another Italian, 104th ranked Karin Knapp, lost to former finalist Marion Bartoli.
Poland waited 33 years for a male quarter-finalist at a grand slam but two arrived within minutes of each other after Kubot set up an unlikely last-eight date with 6-foot-8 Jerzy Janowicz.
The big-serving Janowicz blasted down 16 aces, the fastest recorded was 137 mph, as he edged past Juergen Melzer 3-6 7-6 6-4 4-6 6-4.
Britain had also been anticipating a double celebration as for the first time since 1998, home interest was still alive in both singles draws on the second Monday.
But hopes that Andy Murray and Laura Robson would both reach the last eight were dashed when the 19-year-old Robson bowed out 7-6(6) 7-5 to Kaia Kanepi.
 
Ms Lisicki, get off my lawn!

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Great job by Bine today! Highly focused and with a good attitude throughout the match. :thumbsup:

My beloved Petra Kvitova in the quarterfinals against Flipkens tomorrow. Head to head, the Flipper is 2-1 up and won their last match rather easily in Miami last March. I'm expecting the worst. :shy:
 
Balls to that. Petra will win the lot. Fuck Miami, that's not a real competition. Our media are saying Li Na is favourite as 6th seed, but she's never made a Grand Slam final on grass. Petra's experience will see her through.
 
Defeat by Lisicki no shock, says ousted champion Serena

Sabine Lisicki collapsed to her knees in disbelief, a stunned Centre Court crowd gasped in shock and Wimbledon ushered another big-name through the exit door - yet vanquished Serena Williams was the least surprised.
More used to mowing down opponents on the All-England club's manicured lawns with five singles titles to her name, the dominant player in women's tennis was left to explain how she was ambushed by German Sabine Lisicki on Monday.
The unheralded 23rd seed took the biggest scalp of her career when she edged a gripping-fourth encounter 6-2 1-6 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals.
With second and third seeds Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova heading home in the first week, talk that the American top seed had another grand slam title at her mercy proved wide of the mark.
"I've said this, I don't know if you've heard, but she's a great grasscourt player," Williams told a news conference.
"You know, c'mon, guys, let's get with it. She's excellent. She's not a pushover. She's a great player."
Lisicki enjoyed a run to the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2011 before losing to runner-up Maria Sharapova and her powerful serve put Williams under the kind of pressure she rarely gets in the early rounds of a tournament.
"It's not a shock. Her ranking has no effect on what she should be," Williams added.
"She should be ranked higher. Especially on grass she just has, you know, a super, super game to play well. I'll just have to go back to the drawing boards and figure out a way how to win this match the next time."
Getting to the root of her loss, Williams said that having battled back from a disappointing opening set to breeze through the second and go 3-0 up in the decider, she lost confidence on her serve.
"I felt that I was on the verge of winning. At that point I just was physically unable to hold serve. My first-serve percentage was going down," she said after Lisicki broke in three successive times to move ahead 5-4.
"You have to be ready and willing to hold your serve. I wasn't willing or able, probably didn't even want to hold my serve today."
Her demise leaves fourth seed Agnieska Radwanska as the highest ranked player left in the last eight, but in a tournament now wide open Williams tipped compatriot Sloane Stephens, a player who seemed determined to upset her illustrious rival earlier this year.
The 20-year-old, who came through in three sets against Puerto Rican Monica Puig on Monday, beat Williams in the quarter-finals of this year's Australian Open and later criticised her in a magazine interview.
Some scathing comments caused more bemusement than hurt for Williams who refused to get drawn into a war of words.
Showing there was no lingering resentment, Williams said: "I think Sloane has a really good chance of winning. She has a great draw. I think she can take it. It would be really nice to see her win."
 
Del Potro out-guns Seppi to reach last eight

Eighth seed Juan Martin Del Potro muscled his way into the Wimbledon quarter-finals with a powerful 6-4 7-6(2) 6-3 win over Italy's Andreas Seppi on Monday.
The Argentine's knee was heavily strapped following a nasty fall in his third-round match, but his slightly cumbersome movement was no barrier to a straight-sets demolition of the 28th-ranked Seppi.
He broke in the seventh game of the first set before wrapping it up in 52 minutes, stayed solid to come through the second in a tiebreak, before breaking in the second game of the third set to effectively end the Italian's resistance.
Del Potro will face Spain's David Ferrer in the last eight.
 
Murray beats Youzhny to make quarter-finals

Andy Murray beat Mikhail Youzhny 6-4 7-6 6-1 to reach the last eight at Wimbledon for the sixth year in a row.
Murray suffered a mini crisis of confidence and faced his first tie-break of the tournament but recovered his nerve and timing to beat Russian Youzhny in straight sets.
With Laura Robson bowing out earlier in the day, number two seed Murray assumed his usual position as singles flag-bearer for the home country and he duly triumphed on a sun-drenched Centre Court against the 31-year-old making his 13th Wimbledon appearance.
Murray was untroubled in the first set but experienced the full range of emotions in a topsy-turvy second that featured two breaks of serve each. Youzhny had the early advantage in the tie-break too but Murray produced some stunning shots to turn it round and sap the Russian's spirit.
"It was a tough match in the first couple of sets but once I got ahead in the third set I just was determined not to let him back in," said Murray.
"I take nothing for granted, I know how hard these tournaments are to win and do well in.
"There is no guarantees here, I've only won one Grand Slam and it just gets harder."
Youzhny, who pushed Roger Federer the distance in the recent grass court tournament in Halle, is renowned as one of the volatile characters in tennis, famously smashing a racquet into his own face in frustration.
The Scot was originally prepared for a hugely tricky route to the title but other results have gone his way and opened up the draw.
In the quarter-final he was predicted to face Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, only for the dangerous Frenchman to withdraw with injury. Instead his opponent will be Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, who he has beaten eight times in nine meetings.
Should he triumph there, he could have expected to meet the winner of a quarter-final between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer - but both suffered shock exits in week one. Instead, that quarter-final will be an all-Polish affair between Jerzy Janowicz and Lukasz Kubot.
Novak Djokovic is expected to come through the other side of the draw and the top seed's campaign is very much alive. Murray and Djokovic remain on course to meet in the final.
Left-hander Verdasco, a former top ten player who has fallen outside the world's top 50, swotted aside French rival Kenny De Schepper in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, and is a first time quarter-finalist at the All England Club.
"You reach the quarter-finals of Wimbledon, you expect to play a very, very top player," said Verdasco.
"I'm just happy to be here and how I've played the entire tournament. It's a special match because it's against Murray at Wimbledon but I'm going to play my game but it will be tough.
"He's a great player, one of the very best on the tour and it will be hard to beat him, especially with the crowd. But you need to have faith."
 
Stephens flies American flag after Serena shock

American Sloane Stephens beat Monica Puig to reach her first Wimbledon quarter-final on Monday just as compatriot Serena Williams's defeat had thrown the draw wide open.
Five-times champion Williams lost to Germany's Sabine Lisicki to snap her 34-match winning streak, leaving only one member of the world's top four left in the tournament.
With fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska in the other half, the 20-year-old Stephens is now being talked about as potential Wimbledon champion a bit sooner than expected.
The only American to reach the last eight of the men's or women's singles refused to be sucked in by the hype, though, after a 4-6 7-5 6-1 win over Puerto Rican Puig with whom she has trained with regularly at the same Florida base.
"I saw (Kirsten) Flipkens, she fell to the ground today. You would have thought she just won Wimbledon," Stephens, who reached the Australian Open semi-final this year having beaten Williams in Melbourne.
"I think I was just kind of the whole match really calm. I was happy to get the win, so I wasn't too like overjoyed."
Seventeenth seed Stephens has a few grand slam titles to win before comparisons with 16-times major champion Williams can be taken seriously but she lacks nothing in confidence.
She even accused Williams of "scaring people" and "intimidation" earlier this year in a Time magazine article.
Asked her reaction on Serena saying in her press conference that she could go on to win the title, Stephens offered an almost sarcastic "Thanks".
"I'm top 20 in the world for a reason," she said when asked about a recent return to form after a dip. "I didn't like all of a sudden snap my fingers and I got good.
"I put in a lot of work, took a lot of sweat, like bad hair days, all that other stuff, to get to where I was. I realise that I just couldn't let that go to waste."
Stephens, the highest-ranked of a growing bunch of American women in the top 100, said thoughts of winning the title had not yet entered her head, especially with former runner-up Marion Bartoli up next and then possibly 2011 champion Petra Kvitova.
"Playing a grand slam, every occasion is big, every quarter is big, even if you're playing like Timbuktu Court, Aorangi," she said.
"I'll go out and play hard. I'm looking forward to it. I'm excited. Hopefully I'll have a good match and have fun."
 
Radwanska fights back to make a stand for the seedings

Agnieszka Radwanska kept the bookmakers happy by justifying her seeding to beat Tsvetana Pironkova 4-6 6-3 6-3 on Monday and reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals.
The Polish fourth seed proved too strong for her 76th-ranked Bulgarian opponent and last year's runner-up is the highest ranked woman in the last eight.
But she made hard work of it.
Shortly after top seed Serena Williams tumbled out to Sabine Lisicki on Centre Court, Radwanska conceded the first set to a fired-up Pironkova and everything pointed to another seed exiting early.
Radwanska, 24, looked listless and ill-at-ease on Court Two. Her serve lacked rhythm and she dropped it twice before getting a toe-hold in the set.
Admonishing herself for uncharacteristic errors, she saved four set points, two on her own serve, before succumbing to the Bulgarian's big forehand in a baseline rally.
But the former Wimbledon junior champion has an-all court-game that suits grass and she found her range in the second set, commanding the net and volleying with precision.
It was a low-key match in front of a subdued crowd which has become used to upsets after the first-week departures of Maria Sharapova, Victoria Azarenka and Sara Errani.
But Radwanska said she felt no great pressure as the highest seed standing
"It doesn't mean anything, especially here. So many weird scores," she said. "There's still a lot of players playing really great tennis. Every match is a different story. Doesn't matter what ranking they have."
Radwanska broke Pironkova's serve in the third game of the final set and, despite some resistance during attritional rallies, the 25-year-old Bulgarian had no way back.
Radwanska faces sixth seed Li Na in the quarter-finals after the Chinese disposed of Roberta Vinci.
"We've played a lot of times against each other, always good, long tight matches so I will have to play great tennis to beat her," Radwanska said.
 
Lisicki unfazed at being new Wimbledon favourite

Installed by bookmakers as the favourite to win Wimbledon and a first grand slam title after stunning holder Serena Williams in the last 16 on Monday, Sabine Lisicki flashed a winning smile that belied any feelings of pressure.
"No, not at all," the relaxed German told a news conference when asked if she was fazed by the prospect of being the woman to beat after contributing to the exodus of top seeds at this year's tournament with a 6-2 1-6 6-4 upset of the five-times champion on Monday.
"I'm already focused for tomorrow," the 23rd seed said of her last eight showdown with Estonian Kaia Kanepi.
The 23-year-old's career has been checked by injury - she dropped outside the world's top 200 in 2011 - but her pedigree on a grasscourt has never been in doubt.
A Wimbledon quarter-finalist in 2009 and last year, and a semi-finalist as a wildcard in 2012 when Maria Sharapova ended her storming run, Lisicki has a game built for the slick green surface.
One of the fastest servers on tour, Lisicki's Wimbledon record contrasts markedly with her performances in the three other grand slams.
She has a 17-4 record in singles at the All-England club compared to 16-15 at the Australian, French and U.S. Opens.
"I feel very comfortable here. Having the house, having the whole team being in the house, being able to cook, having a great atmosphere," Lisicki explained.
"Then obviously playing on grass, as well, which suits my game well."
Lisicki has now dispatched three grand slam winners in former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone, former U.S. Open winner Samantha Stosur and Williams in this year's championship, and she believes she is improving with each round.
"I've got more and more confident - with my strokes, as well as my game," she said.
"I think in a way those three matches prepared me for today's match.
"I have a very good rhythm. I think before the tournament I started to serve really well already in Birmingham (warm-up tournament). I think I found my rhythm again. I hope I can keep it up."
A growing sign of maturity came when she refused to buckle at 3-0 down in the deciding set after Williams profited from two successive net-cords.
"I just hung in there. I really wanted to win it," she said.
 
Berdych sees off Tomic to set up Djokovic clash

Former Wimbledon finalist Tomas Berdych set up a quarter-final against top seed Novak Djokovic after ending unseeded Bernard Tomic's run with a 7-6(4) 6-7(5) 6-4 6-4 fourth-round victory on Monday.
A tight encounter was dominated by serve for the first two sets before seventh seed Berdych asserted his authority.
"Tough to play him so it makes me feel even better to be here as a winner," the Czech said after mastering the 20-year-old Australian, who had beaten seeds Sam Querrey and Richard Gasquet on the way to the last 16.
"I was kind of struggling with his fast routine on serve, I couldn't get a return on it at all. But after the first two sets I felt much more confident."
Berdych upset Djokovic in the semi-finals three years ago before losing to Rafa Nadal in straight sets in the final. That victory was just one of two he has enjoyed over the Serb, including the last time they met - in Rome on clay in May.
The Serb has triumphed in their 13 other meetings.
"It's a nice challenge," Berdych added. "I know how to beat him, let's try for the same."
 
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