Serena Williams survives week of upsets
LONDON - It’s hard to blame Serena Williams for having some trouble keeping track of all of her many titles at the All England Club.
“I don’t necessarily have to win another Wimbledon in my career,” she was saying Friday, making a point about not having anything left to prove, “(because) I won – was it six times?”
Um, no, Serena. It’s seven. And the way things are looking at the moment, that count could rise to No. 8 in a little more than a week. Not only is she playing like, well, her most capable self, smacking 13 aces while beating Kristina Mladenovic, 7-5, 7-6 (2), for a third consecutive straight-set victory, but also the other proven contenders keep losing while she just keeps on keeping on.
“I’m feeling pretty good,” Williams said. “I haven’t had any problems yet.”
She is now the only woman left in the draw who has won the trophy at the All England Club, after her older sister, fivetime champion Venus Williams, lost to No. 20 Kiki Bertens, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 8-6, on Friday, joining defending champion Garbine Muguruza, two-time winner Petra Kvitova and 2004 champ Maria Sharapova as Week 1 departures.
And the number of remaining top-10 seeds is down to two after No. 9 Venus and No. 10 Madison Keys – beaten 7-5, 5-7, 6-4, by Evgeniya Rodina, a qualifier ranked only 120th – were sent home.
Only No. 1 Simona Halep, who plays her third-round match Saturday, and No. 7 Karolina Pliskova, a 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1 winner against No. 29 Mihaela Buzarnescu – are still around from the top 10.
The men have had some upsets, too, but far fewer, and eight-time champion Roger Federer continued his easy progress through the draw by running his Wimbledon streak to 29 consecutive sets.
No. 8 Kevin Anderson and No. 9 John Isner – the highest-ranked American man, he’d never before reached the fourth round at the grass-court major – won in straight sets, while No. 11 Sam Querrey of the U.S. was eliminated, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 by Gael Monfils of France. Isner next plays No. 31 Stefanos Tsitsipas, the first Greek man into the round of 16 at a Grand Slam tournament in the 50-year professional era.
Serena was seeded 25th by the All England Club. This is only the fourth tournament of her return after giving birth last September.