LONDON, 26 June 2005 — Twice former champion Serena Williams suffered a tearful third round exit at Wimbledon yesterday, beaten 6-3, 7-6 by unseeded fellow American Jill Craybas in the biggest upset of the women’s singles so far.
Craybas, ranked 85 and aged 30, had never been beyond the third round of a Grand Slam event but she produced the performance of her life to outplay the 23-year-old fourth seed on court two.
“I didn’t do anything right. I think I was better off staying at home... I’ve never been one to lose well,” Serena sobbed.
“Even if I am playing bad, I normally play better than this... today was a bad day for me.”
The younger Williams sister had been taken to three sets in both her previous matches and this time she could not respond in fading light on a court notorious for the number of seeds who have lost there.
Craybas dominated the first set as Serena sprayed unforced errors all over the court and won the second set tiebreak 7-4 to deny the former champion a fourth-round showdown with older sister Venus.
It was Serena’s worst Wimbledon performance since her debut in 1998 when she also lost in the third round.
The American, who won Wimbledon in 2002 and 2003 and lost in last year’s final to Maria Sharapova, was clearly lacking match practice and labored through her first two matches at the All England Club.
Argentina’s David Nalbandian clawed back from two sets down for the first time in his career to spike the challenge of British wildcard Andrew Murray 6-7, 1-6, 6-0, 6-4, 6-1 and reach the Wimbledon fourth round.
Former finalist Nalbandian looked to be heading towards the exit after Murray turned the weight of British expectation to his advantage to grab a 4-2 lead in the fourth set.
But the 18th seed fought back defiantly and used all his experience against the 18-year-old ranked 312 in the world and who was playing in only his seventh match on the main tour.
The Argentine will run into another teenager tomorrow, France’s Richard Gasquet, as he aims to reach the last eight for the first time since his runner-up finish in 2002.
It takes more than talent to make a champion and both Maria Sharapova and Roger Federer needed a sprinkle of that something special yesterday to keep their Wimbledon defenses alive.
While there was more base metal than gold in their performances, both managed to do just enough on a day when they would rather have stayed at home.
An off-color Federer, who had been due to play today before rain wiped out the schedule, failed to stamp his authority on Nicolas Kiefer but had enough in reserve to advance 6-2, 6-7, 6-1, 7-5.
He plays former world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero next after the Spaniard beat Germany’s Florian Mayer 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-1.
Sharapova posted a scrappy 6-2, 6-4 win over Slovenia’s Katarina Srebotnik and will be happy to have got the first week out of the way at the All England Club.
“The score doesn’t say much about the match,” second seed Sharapova said. “It was a lot tougher than it seemed.
“Definitely a tough match... every single point, I needed to find a way to win it.
“You know, it’s all right. Still got through it without serving great.”
Sharapova was joined in the fourth round by 1999 champion and top seed Lindsay Davenport and twice champion Venus Williams. Fourteenth seed Venus beat Daniela Hantuchova 7-5, 6-3.
Davenport strolled through 6-2, 6-1 against Russia’s Dinara Safina.
“It’s probably going to be just a little bit tougher from here on out,” she smiled. Davenport faces former world No. 1 Kim Clijsters next.
The Belgian beat Italian Roberta Vinci 6-3, 6-4.“Monday’s going to be a lot different story,” Davenport said. “Kim’s not going to let me do that so easily and will get more balls back and will really press me a lot more than I’ve pressed so far.”
Men’s second seed Andy Roddick pounded his way past Russian Igor Andreev to reach the last 16. Last year’s runner-up, Roddick cranked up his grass-burning serve to devastating effect winning 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 in one hour 54 minutes.
“I’m still alive, that’s the goal,” Roddick said. “I feel good going into the second week.”
“That’s as well as I’ve hit the ball so far this tournament,” added Roddick, who faces Argentine claycourt specialist Guillermo Coria in the fourth round.
Coria, the 15th seed, came back from two sets down to beat Austria’s Jurgen Melzer 3-6, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 - his second successive five-set victory.
Mary Pierce advanced. The 30-year-old Frenchwoman, a first-round loser last year, blasted Serbian teenager Ana Ivanovic 6-1, 6-4.
It has been nine years since Pierce last reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon and she has never looked so at ease on grass.
Runner-up at the French Open earlier this month, the 12th seed is enjoying her tennis again and the slick lawns are aiding her power game this year.
“I’m getting there,” she smiled. “Feeling more at ease with each match.”
