Maria Sharapova of Russian Federation reacts after breaking serve during her match against Coco Vandeweghe of the United States at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, July 7, 2015.
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After dropping the opener to Azarenka for the sixth time in their 20 career meetings, Williams powered through, unleashing a barrage of near-perfect serves and groundies to notch her 26th consecutive Grand Slam victory, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Maria Sharapova was accused of a lack of sportsmanship after she beat America’s Coco Vandeweghe in the Wimbledon quarter-finals.
LONDON: Serena Williams reached her ninth Wimbledon semi-final after subduing inspired ex- world number one Victoria Azarenka in the best women’s match of the tournament so far on Tuesday.
Williams made few errors and won seven straight games after wobbling in the first set, a 3-6 loss, before winning the match with 6-2, 6-3 victories.
“I felt like I was just fighting, fighting, fighting”, she said, “literally to the last point”.
Radwanska got the better of Madison Keys 7-6 3-6 6-3, while Spain’s Muguruza beat Timea Bacsinszky in straight sets, prevailing 7-5 6-3. The high point for drama – and laughter – came in the fourth game of that set when Azarenka saved three break points.
“I don’t say anything”.
Azarenka could have responded immediately when another two break points came along in the following game, but Williams was soon giving another fist pump after holding and wrapped up the set when her opponent sent a forehand into the net. From 2-all in the second set, Williams went about 45 minutes without dropping a game, taking that set and going ahead 3-0 in the third. “I’m just going out there and try to win a match and, if
I don’t, then there’s always
next time”.
But Sharapova insisted she was doing nothing out of the ordinary. “I’ll have it for the rest of my life”. “I won all the grand slams, multiple times”.
“I think they might have had a little too many glasses of Pimm’s or whatever”, she said in reference to the gin-based cocktail which is as closely associated with Wimbledon as strawberries and cream. I can’t say I went out there and didn’t play well – we just saw why Serena is No.1. She is only two wins away from her fourth Grand Slam in a row.
All eyes are on top seed Williams at SW19 as she attempts to stay on course for a first calendar Grand Slam, having already secured the Australian and French Open titles, as well as possess all major titles at the same time in what has been dubbed the “Serena Slam”. She had more than double the amount of winners than the underdog, hitting 46 to Azarenka’s 20.
“I love playing Maria”. While talking about the forthcoming match, Williams said, “I’ve had a couple of tough matches with Victoria…She’s due to win big and to do really well”.
“I find that this was one of the most hard matches I’ve played at Wimbledon, maybe in my career”, Djokovic said.
Azarenka, who is now climbing the world rankings after being sidelined with a foot injury previous year, took the first set in 35 minutes, but could not keep up with Williams afterwards.
In the men’s quarterfinals Wednesday, 2013 victor Andy Murray of Britain opens play on Centre Court against unseeded Canadian Vasek Pospisil followed by defending champion Novak Djokovic against US Open victor Marin Cilic of Croatia.
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Sharapova was playing in the quarterfinals at the All England Club for the first time in four years; for Vandeweghe, it was a Grand Slam first.
