Roddick loses as Wozniacki cruises
Source: Agencies |
June 25, 2011, Saturday
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THREE-TIME Wimbledon runner-up Andy Roddick was eliminated in straights by Feliciano Lopez in the third round yesterday, the American's first loss to the Spanish left-hander in eight matches.
The 44th-ranked Lopez served 28 aces and piled up 57 winners to beat Roddick 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2), 6-4 on Centre Court, the biggest upset of the men's tournament so far.
"This was a big win for me," Lopez said. "I played Andy so many times and he always beat me. It was so important for me to win today. Even though he beat me before, to beat him at Wimbledon is the most special. I'm happy to pay him back here on this wonderful court."
In a surprise on the women's side, second-seeded and 2010 runner-up Vera Zvonareva was knocked out 6-2, 3-6 by 33rd-ranked Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria. The Russian converted only one of seven break points and had 18 unforced errors, compared to five for Pironkova, who upset Venus Williams here last year en route to the semifinals.
Five-time champion Williams moved into the fourth round by beating Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez 6-0, 6-2.
The eighth-seeded Roddick, who lost to Roger Federer in the finals in 2004, '05 and '09, served 16 aces but also had six double-faults. It's the third time in four years Roddick has lost early - he went out in the second round in 2008 and the fourth last year.
Earlier, top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki, pursuing another bid for her first Grand Slam title, made only one unforced error in defeating Virginie Razzano 6-1, 6-3 to move into the third round.
The 20-year-old Dane was at the top of her game, downing the 96th-ranked Frenchwoman in 66 minutes.
Razzano saved three match points at 5-2 down in the second set and another in the next game before Wozniacki hit a service winner to close the match.
"I served pretty well today and... dictated quite a few of the points," Wozniacki said.
Razzano, 28, said: "She didn't really let me play today. She doesn't let you build up any rhythm. She suffocated me. She doesn't miss anything."
In another early women's match, 2004 champion Maria Sharapova recovered from a slow start to beat 17-year-old British wild card Laura Robson 7-6 (4), 6-3 on Court 1. The Russian trailed 4-1 in the first set, and then 4-2 in the tiebreaker, before taking charge against the former Wimbledon junior champion.
"I started off really slow and she started off really well," Sharapova said. "Quite the opposite of me, I think she was much more aggressive than I was in the beginning. But then I just kind of got my rhythm a little bit and started playing better."
Wozniacki leads the tour this year with five titles, but lost in the third round at the French Open to extend her drought at the majors. She is guaranteed to hold the No. 1 ranking at least until August.
"I think I deserve to be where I am," Wozniacki said. "I won so many tournaments already, five this year. I'm playing good tennis. I'm young. My time will come."
Elsewhere, seventh-seeded David Ferrrer beat Ryan Harrison of the United States 6-7 (8), 6-1, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. The match had been suspended by darkness on Thursday in the fourth set.
No. 9-seeded Marion Bartoli beat Lourdes Dominguez Lino 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 to reach the third round. Svetlana Kuznetsova, seeded 12th, was eliminated in the third round by No. 19 Yanina Wickmayer, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6.
The 44th-ranked Lopez served 28 aces and piled up 57 winners to beat Roddick 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2), 6-4 on Centre Court, the biggest upset of the men's tournament so far.
"This was a big win for me," Lopez said. "I played Andy so many times and he always beat me. It was so important for me to win today. Even though he beat me before, to beat him at Wimbledon is the most special. I'm happy to pay him back here on this wonderful court."
In a surprise on the women's side, second-seeded and 2010 runner-up Vera Zvonareva was knocked out 6-2, 3-6 by 33rd-ranked Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria. The Russian converted only one of seven break points and had 18 unforced errors, compared to five for Pironkova, who upset Venus Williams here last year en route to the semifinals.
Five-time champion Williams moved into the fourth round by beating Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez 6-0, 6-2.
The eighth-seeded Roddick, who lost to Roger Federer in the finals in 2004, '05 and '09, served 16 aces but also had six double-faults. It's the third time in four years Roddick has lost early - he went out in the second round in 2008 and the fourth last year.
Earlier, top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki, pursuing another bid for her first Grand Slam title, made only one unforced error in defeating Virginie Razzano 6-1, 6-3 to move into the third round.
The 20-year-old Dane was at the top of her game, downing the 96th-ranked Frenchwoman in 66 minutes.
Razzano saved three match points at 5-2 down in the second set and another in the next game before Wozniacki hit a service winner to close the match.
"I served pretty well today and... dictated quite a few of the points," Wozniacki said.
Razzano, 28, said: "She didn't really let me play today. She doesn't let you build up any rhythm. She suffocated me. She doesn't miss anything."
In another early women's match, 2004 champion Maria Sharapova recovered from a slow start to beat 17-year-old British wild card Laura Robson 7-6 (4), 6-3 on Court 1. The Russian trailed 4-1 in the first set, and then 4-2 in the tiebreaker, before taking charge against the former Wimbledon junior champion.
"I started off really slow and she started off really well," Sharapova said. "Quite the opposite of me, I think she was much more aggressive than I was in the beginning. But then I just kind of got my rhythm a little bit and started playing better."
Wozniacki leads the tour this year with five titles, but lost in the third round at the French Open to extend her drought at the majors. She is guaranteed to hold the No. 1 ranking at least until August.
"I think I deserve to be where I am," Wozniacki said. "I won so many tournaments already, five this year. I'm playing good tennis. I'm young. My time will come."
Elsewhere, seventh-seeded David Ferrrer beat Ryan Harrison of the United States 6-7 (8), 6-1, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. The match had been suspended by darkness on Thursday in the fourth set.
No. 9-seeded Marion Bartoli beat Lourdes Dominguez Lino 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 to reach the third round. Svetlana Kuznetsova, seeded 12th, was eliminated in the third round by No. 19 Yanina Wickmayer, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6.
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