Wimbledon, England – Hobbled and hurting and essentially playing on one leg, Serena Williams managed to gut out a three-set victory at Wimbledon on Monday against an opponent who helped by fading right along with the daylight.
Williams crumpled to the grass in the second set with a left calf injury, was treated on court, then kept on playing, barely able to move. Given a reprieve by a nearly two-hour rain delay, Williams returned to compete, over her mother’s protests.
And she won, prolonging her bid for a third title at the All England Club by getting past No. 10-seeded Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia 6-2, 6-7 (2-7), 6-2 to set up a quarterfinal showdown against No. 1 Justine Henin.
When Hantuchova dumped a backhand into the net for the last of her 28 unforced errors, Williams blew a kiss to the charcoal-colored clouds above Centre Court.
“I thought about not finishing, but very briefly. I thought I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I hadn’t at least tried,” the No. 7 Williams said. “I’ve never dealt with such pain. I can’t believe – I can’t believe I won, really.”
It was, in many respects, an all-around startling day at Wimbledon, particularly for the Williams family.
Serena’s older sister Venus double-faulted 14 times, faced 23 break points, trailed 5-3 in the final set and still figured out a way to beat Akiko Morigami of Japan 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 in a match suspended because of rain Saturday. Venus faces 2004 champion Maria Sharapova today for a quarterfinal berth.
If she’s able to play, Serena will meet Henin in a rematch from last month’s French Open, where the Belgian won their quarterfinal en route to the title. Henin, trying to complete a career Grand Slam at Wimbledon, beat No. 15 Patty Schnyder 6-2, 6-2.
Asked about the matchup against Henin, one that would be worthy of a major final, Serena sidestepped looking ahead, saying, “Getting through today is great. That’s the only thing I’m focused on right now.”
Making her first career major quarterfinal was No. 31 Michaella Krajicek, younger sister of 1996 Wimbledon men’s champion Richard Krajicek. She defeated Laura Granville of the United States 6-3, 6-4.
Third-round winners included 16-year-old Tamira Paszek of Austria, French Open runner-up Ana Ivanovic and 2004 U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova.
There also was other intrigue. Three-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal thought he reached the fourth round when he hit a forehand on match point against Robin Soderling. That was at 7-6 in the third-set tiebreaker, Nadal already having won the first two sets.
Nadal thrust his arms in the air, then paused, realizing his shot was called wide. He challenged the ruling, but the new instant-replay system showed the call correct, making the tiebreaker score 7-7 – and forcing Nadal to keep playing.
Right then, though, came rain. When they resumed two hours later, Soderling won the next two points to take the third set, then took the fourth, too. Nadal led 2-0 in the fifth when showers forced play to stop for the day. Three other men’s third-round matches were halted in progress.
Four men reached the fourth round: No. 7 Tomas Berdych, No. 10 Marcos Baghdatis, No. 14 Mikhail Youzhny and 35-year- old Jonas Bjorkman, who eliminated 36-year-old Wayne Arthurs 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 in the first match between men that old at Wimbledon since 1974.
Bye-bye, Bud
This year’s “Breakfast at Wimbledon” will be Bud Collins’ last at NBC.
The 78-year-old sportswriter and TV personality won’t have his contract renewed by the network, making this his 35th and final Wimbledon with NBC.
“So I had 35 great years with them. I have no complaints about them, but I hope to stay in tennis,” Collins said. “I’m not retiring. Too young to retire.”
