LONDON: Maria Sharapova suffered a shock exit from Wimbledon on Monday as Germany’s Sabine Lisicki avenged last year’s semi-final defeat with a 6-4, 6-3 fourth round victory over the world number one.
Sharapova has been a finalist in three of the last four Grand Slams and arrived at Wimbledon on a high after winning the French Open last month.
But she came back down to earth with a bump on Court One as Lisicki produced one of the best performances of her career.
“It’s just unbelievable. I’m so happy. I had lost the last three meetings with her, so it’s nice to finally win one,” Lisicki said.
The warning signs had been there for Sharapova, who won Wimbledon as a 17-year-old in 2004, as she hadn’t been at her dominant best in the first week.
Lisicki always thrives at Wimbledon, reaching the last four as a wild card last year and making the quarterfinal in 2009.
The big-hitting 22-year-old, dubbed ‘Doris Becker’ by German media for her powerful style, was quickly into her stride and broke for a 3-1 lead in the first set.
Even a 45-minute rain delay did little to improve Sharapova’s mindset and a double-fault presented Lisicki with two break points, which the German gratefully converted at the first attempt with a blistering forehand return.
The German squandered one match point with a miscued forehand and couldn’t take her second either, but a huge ace sealed victory and she fell to her knees in jubilation.
Goodbye to all that
Meanwhile, Kim Clijsters played her last Wimbledon match, losing in straight sets to eighth-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany in the 4th round.
Clijsters is retiring after this year’s US Open and went out quickly on Court 3, winning just two games as Kerber overpowered her 6-1, 6-1.
Clijsters gave a brief wave to the crowd as she walked off the court to a loud round of applause. She was trying to advance to her fourth Wimbledon quarterfinal having never reached the final at the All England Club.
Federer through in four
Six-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer shrugged off a rare medical time-out to defeat Xavier Malisse 7-6 (1), 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 to reach a 33rd successive Grand Slam quarter-final.
The Swiss great goes on to face Russian 26th seed Mikhail Youzhny for a place in the semifinals.
The 30-year-old appeared to be in serious trouble again after taking a 4-3 lead in the first set against Malisse, having to leave Centre Court to take a medical time-out where pain-killers were dispensed.
After the resumption, he stepped gingerly around the court but Federer broke Malisse three times in the second set, taking it 6-1.
31-year-old Malisse took the third set with one break and broke again in the first game of the fourth, but once the Swiss had evened it up in the fourth game, he was comfortably back in charge.
He broke again for 4-2 and never looked back with his two hour 11 minute win giving him his 850th career triumph.
Paes match in limbo
Rain proved to be a bigger bother on Monday than it had the previous week, with several matches halted from the afternoon on, including the 3rd round men’s doubles match featuring Leander Paes and partner Radek Stepanek. They took the first set 6-4, but the pair of Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo fought back in the second, taking it 6-3. They also led 4-3 in the third set, on serve.
Agnieszka Radwanska got through her match before the rains came, beating Camila Giorgi 6-2, 6-3. Serena Williams battled through against Yaroslava Shvedova, 6-1, 2-6, 7-5, to reach the quarters.
Maria Kirilenko also needed three sets to get past Shuai Peng, 6-1, 6-7, 6-3.
Meanwhile, Ana Ivanovic collapsed when faced with Victoria Azarenka, the latter dropping just one game to win 6-1, 6-0. (Agencies)