Serena Beats Kerber, Wins Wimbledon Title

Serena Williams beat Germany’s Angelique Kerber 7-5 6-3 to claim a seventh Wimbledon singles title and equal Steffi Graf’s professional era record of 22 grand slam singles crowns on Saturday.

 

The 34-year-old American edged a high-quality final on a blustery Centre Court as she avenged a surprise loss to Kerber in Australia.

 

Fourth seed Kerber stuck to her guns in a fiercely-fought first set but wavered at 5-6 when a couple of unforced errors gave a fired-up Williams the chance to grab the opener, which she did on her second set point.

 

Williams faced a moment of danger when Kerber earned a first break point at 3-3 in the second set but she responded strongly.

Serena Beats Kerber, Wins Wimbledon Title

Raonic Downs Federer, will Face Murray in Wimbledon Final

Roger Federer’s bid for a record eighth Wimbledon title was cut short in the semifinals Friday by Milos Raonic, a big-serving Canadian who came from two-sets-to-one down to win in five and reach his first Grand Slam final.

Raonic beat the seven-time champion 6-3, 6-7 (3), 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 on Centre Court, handing the Swiss great his first loss ever in the Wimbledon semifinals after 10 straight wins.

 

Everything seemed to be going according to Roger Federer’s master plan—or Maestro plan—as he stepped up to serve at 5-6 in the fourth set against Milos Raonic in their semifinal at Wimbledon on Friday.

The seven-time champion had weathered an early Raonic power surge to lead two sets to one. He was playing an exceedingly clean, virtually error-free match; he hadn’t faced a break point since the early stages, and he had made deep inroads on Raonic’s serve in the fourth set.

 

From the start, Federer’s strokes looked sharp, his serve was just as effective as his opponent’s and he had struck the right balance of aggression and thoughtfulness; his variety of spins and placements had kept Raonic off balance. Even Federer’s fist pumps and “Come on!” shouts were impeccably timed.

 

While age wasn’t on his side in this matchup, the 34-year-old knew that history was: Before Friday, Federer was 10-0 in semifinals at Wimbledon.

Raonic Downs Federer, will Face Murray in Wimbledon Final

Serena Retracts Her Statement Over a Possible Legal Suit Against Wimbledon

Serena Williams doesn’t plan to sue Wimbledon, even though she made that threat during her match Monday when she was concerned she might slip on the wet Centre Court grass.

Williams, the defending women’s singles champion, didn’t like the suggestion that she and Svetlana Kuznetsova should continue playing at 5-5 despite a light rain.

 

She discussed the situation with umpire Marija Cicak and tournament referee Andrew Jarrett. In their initial conversation, Williams could be heard saying, “I’m going to fall. Can’t they just close the roof?”

 

Cicak’s response could not be heard, but Williams then said: “If I get hurt, I’m suing…”

 

The world’s No. 1 women’s player, who went on to a 7-5, 6-0 victory over Kuznetsova, later explained she had no intention of actually suing the tournament.

 

“I was in the moment,” she said. “I was on the court. What I say on the court, whether it’s smashing my rackets or it’s in the heat of the moment … I have no plans, no future of suing Wimbledon. Let’s get serious. That’s not what I do. That’s not what I am.”

Serena Retracts Her Statement Over a Possible Legal Suit Against Wimbledon

French Open Update : Serena Survives Putintseva Scare To Reach Semi"s

Defending champion Serena Williams survived a fright as she laboured into the semi-finals of the French Open with a 5-7 6-4 6-1 victory against Kazakh Yulia Putintseva on Thursday.

The world number one, who will take on Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens for a place in Saturday’s final, made a mess of numerous routine shots as her opponent took the opening set having made only one unforced error.

The American survived two break points at 4-4 in the second set, which she eventually won when world number 60 Putintseva served a double fault.

The momentum had swung Williams’s way and the American crushed Putintseva in the decider, wrapping it up on her fourth match point with an unreturnable serve.

French Open Update : Serena Survives Putintseva Scare To Reach Semi"s

French Open : Djokovic, Nadal Reach Milestones As Serena Eases On

World number one Novak Djokovic and nine-time winner Rafael Nadal racked up Grand Slam milestones at the French Open on Thursday (May 26) as Serena Williams coasted into the third round.

Top seed Djokovic, looking for a Roland Garros title to complete a career Grand Slam, claimed his 50th win at the tournament by seeing off Belgian qualifier Steve Darcis 7-5, 6-3, 6-4.

It was the Serb’s third win in three career meetings with Darcis, a player nicknamed ‘Shark’ who dumped Nadal out of Wimbledon in 2013. But it was far from a smooth display from the 11-time major winner and three-time French Open runner-up who committed 42 unforced errors.

 

Djokovic next takes on Britain’s Slovenian-born Aljaz Bedene who reached the third round of a major for the first time with a 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 4-6, 5-7, 6-2 win over Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta.

Nine-time champion Nadal became just the eighth man to record up 200 Grand Slam match wins as he saw off Argentina’s world number 99 — and fellow left-hander — Facundo Bagnis 6-3, 6-0, 6-3.

Nadal, 29, dropped the first two games against Bagnis but then won 18 of the next 22 to ease into a last-32 clash against Spanish compatriot Marcel Granollers.

French Open : Djokovic, Nadal Reach Milestones As Serena Eases On