Serena Williams defeats Sharapova

Super Monday at Wimbledon follows form — with one huge exception

Associated Press

WIMBLEDON, England

Defending champion Serena Williams overcame Maria Sharapova 7-6 (9), 6-4 on Monday to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals and avenge her loss to the Russian in the 2004 final.

In another marquee matchup, Kim Clijsters rallied to beat Justine Henin 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 in an all-Belgian duel between former No. 1-ranked players making Wimbledon comebacks.

Five-time women’s winner Venus Williams also advanced on an action-packed day featuring all remaining 16 women’s players in fourth-round matches.

Serena Williams served 19 aces for the second straight match — taking her total to 63 for the tournament — and held off the resurgent Sharapova in a tight battle on Centre Court.

“I don’t serve like this too often,” Williams said. “I don’t know what it is about this court that makes me serve well.”

Williams, who hit four aces in the opening game, saved three set points in the tiebreaker to stay in command.

“I played really well and I thought I had my chances,” said Sharapova, who hurt her own cause with seven double faults. “If it was not for her really great serving, I certainly had a real good look at winning the match.”

In 2004, Sharapova — 17 years old at the time — stunned Williams 6-1, 6-4 for her first Grand Slam title.

“That was so long ago that I don’t think it gives me any more added or any less satisfaction,” Williams said. “We’re both different players. She’s obviously improved. Hopefully I’ve improved since six years ago.”

Sharapova came back from 3-1 down in the first set and had Williams on the ropes in the tiebreaker, but failed to convert. Leading 6-4, she hit a forehand into the net before Williams smacked a forehand winner to make it 6-6.

With Sharapova up 8-7, Williams hit a service winner to save another set point. At 9-all, Sharapova double-faulted. Williams then converted her third set point with her 13th ace.

Serving for the match in the second set, Williams hit another ace and a service winner. She finished with 31 winners and 17 errors, while Sharapova had 14 winners and 18 errors.

Clijsters came from a set down against Henin and is now 13-12 in career meetings against her compatriot.

Henin received treatment on her right elbow on three changeovers after slipping and falling to the turf as she charged to the net at 2-1 in the first set. She said the elbow was “quite painful” and bothered her on her serves and backhands, but didn’t know the extent of the problem.

Venus Williams overcame a tough challenge from the lowest-ranked player left in the draw. The second-seeded Williams broke back twice to stay in the second set, then escaped in the tiebreaker to complete a 6-4, 7-6 (5) victory on Court 2 over 92nd-ranked Jarmila Groth of Australia.

“There wasn’t a lot of room for error for either one of us against each other’s serve,” Williams said. “She played really well today. I didn’t think she made too many errors. Just really played some smart tennis and took advantage of opportunities. I played well at the end to close it out.”

The victory sent Williams into her 31st Grand Slam quarterfinal and improved her record to 12-0 in fourth-round matches at the All England Club.

Vera Zvonareva advanced when fourth-seeded Jelena Jankovic retired with a back injury while trailing 6-1, 3-0.

Third-seeded Caroline Wozniacki lost 6-2, 6-0 in just 46 minutes to Petra Kvitova.

Also making the quarters were No. 9 Li Na of China, Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria and Kaia Kanepi of Estonia.