The world No.1 Williams suffered a shock 6-4, 6-3 loss to Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina.The loss to the world No.20 ends Williams’ Olympic tournament, having also suffered a surprise loss in the doubles with older sister Venus on Sunday.
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She and her older sister Venus, who sat in the stands on Tuesday, lost in the first round of doubles – their first defeat in the Olympics after going 15-0 with three golds.
USA Today reported that it will be the first time Serena Williams goes home from the Olympics without taking home any medal. Williams accepted that she had problems playing the game strategically against the highest ranked Ukraine player who hardly missed a stroke.
The head-to-head advantage that Serena had before the loss was lopsided – outside of one set that Svitolina won in their four previous matches, she won on average fewer than two games per set in the eight that she lost.
“Obviously I’m disappointed”, Williams said.
The Rio Games marked Williams’ fourth – and likely last – Olympics.
The women are a round ahead, and players reaching the quarterfinals included No. 7 Madison Keys of the United States, No. 10 Johanna Konta of Britain, and No. 11 Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic. She got to break point with a big forehand that forced an errant forehand from Williams, then converted with an inside-out forehand return victor off a 157 kph second serve. However, she did accept defeat and believed that the greater player won the match.
“I’m really happy I could take risks”, Svitolina said.
“I really didn’t think about it even when I was 40-30 and I won finally the match”, said Svitolina. But it’s unreal, it’s just the flawless moment. At one point, she screamed out in pain, “shoulder, shoulder”. After losing the first set without much of a fight and getting down a break in the second, it appeared she might have some energy for the first time after getting the break back to make it 3-3.
His win followed losses earlier on Tuesday by compatriots David Ferrer, Carla Suarez and GarbiAe Muguruza that left Nadal – the gold medalist at the 2012 London Games – as Spain’s only option for a medal in singles play, reports Efe. “That’s why she’s arguably the greatest women’s tennis player of all-time if not the greatest tennis player, men or women”. “It was just unreal feeling because I didn’t expect it, even at that moment that I could win”.
“I was trying to be focused because she’s a great player with great experience coming back in many awesome matches”.
“It happens sometimes with her serve, but she can also do four aces in a row”, Svitolina said.
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So, too, is her chance of defending her singles title, and a lot sooner than anyone expected.
