Venus’ comeback bid falls just short
LONDON — Venus Williams became the latest former champion to be ousted atWimbledon.
Her sister Serena is still going strong, though, after overcoming her toughest test so far thisweek.
In the men’s tournament, Roger Federer’s latest victory never looked in doubt as he won 37 of 40 first-serve points and stretched his Wimbledon winning streak to 29 sets, beating Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 7-5, 6-2. The eight-time champion and No. 1 seed next faces 22nd-seeded Adrian Mannarino, who defeated Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 5-7, 6-3.
VenusWilliams couldn’t complete a third consecutive comeback as she lost to 20th-seeded Kiki Bertens 6-2, 6-7 (5), 8-6 in the third round Friday. Williams had rallied from a set down to win her first two matches.
“Just ran out of time in the end,” saidWilliams, last year’s runner-up and at 38 the oldest woman in the tournament. “(Bertens) played reallywell. You have to win the last point, and I didn’t succeed in that.”
Her exit means eight of the top 10 seeded women are gone before the end of Week 1. Williams is the fourth former champion to get knocked out, joining Maria Sharapova, Petra Kvitova and last year’s winner GarbineMuguruza.
That leaves her sister as the only woman who has won the tournament.
Serena Williams, a sevenchampion, came from a break down in the first set to get past Kristina Mladenovic 7-5, 7-6 (2). Williams took herWimbledon winning streak to 17 matches, thanks in part to 13 aces. She missed last year’s tournament while pregnant.
Williams faces another mother in the fourth round Monday: 120th-ranked qualifier Evgeniya Rodina, who upset No. 10 seed MadisonKeys 7-5, 5-7, 6-4.
“Serena ismy idol,” Rodina said. “So it will be great to play against her.”
Rodina, through to the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time, had been 0-15 against top-20ranked opponents.
On the men’s side, Sam Querrey, a semifinalist in 2017, lost in four sets toGael Monfils.