From TennisReporters.net
FRIDAY, JUNE 26- Thankfully, the WTA Tour doesn’t have the capability of sending out a service bombing fest a la the Ivo Karlovic v. Jo Tsonga mind numbing contest on Friday, where there were almost no rallies of note.
But there are some fine servers on display on Friday, such as Serena Williams, who remains the favorite in the bottom half of the draw after she dispatched the net rushing Roberta Vinci 6-3, 6-4. But the two-time Wimbledon will face some serious threats in the second week. She should be able to pound her way past Daniela Hantuchova in the fourth round, as she was able to beat the slender Slovakian on one leg after pulling a calf muscle two years ago in the fourth round.
But Serena is well aware of what’s to come after that, a potential clash with Belarussian teen hotshot Victoria Azarenka, who upset her in the final of Miami. While Azarenka will have no easy task either against Russian veteran Nadia Petrova, she showed in her fast paced 7-6(2) 6-3 victory Sorana Cirstea that she’s more than just a sweet backhand, a grunt and ponytail.
“She’s going to be top 5 very soon” said BBC analyst Tracy Austin. “She has a shot at No.1 in the future. She has the groundstrokes, they penetrate, have depth and angles. She has the intensity level of a Sharapova.”
But as Hantuchova said, Serena is the most accomplished player in her side of the draw, the one with the resume, the experience, the ability. She’s been striking the ball beautifully, serving consistently, not walking on court in a fog and getting herself in early trouble.
Serena wasn’t pleased by her defeat at the hands of Svetlana Kuznetsova in Paris and only has herself to answer to for falling apart in the third set. But this is Wimbledon, where Serena almost always goes deep, having lost before the quarterfinals only twice.
“She’s one of the best players in history, obviously a grand champion,” Hantuchova said. “She’s one of the greatest, because of her attitude. She always fights whether she’s down or up. She always gives her best. Even matches sometimes she could have lost very easily, she always kept fighting and find a way how to get back in the matches. That’s what makes her so strong. I feel I have my chance, and we’ll see.”
There’s one other player with serious credentials who could threaten Serena should they meet in the semis– Elena Dementieva.
On Saturday, the fourth seed busted up young Russian Regina Kulikova 6-1, 6-2 and will play another Russian, Elena Vesnina who bested French Open semifinalist Dominika Cibulkova 7-5, 4-6, 6-4. That win was arguably Vesnina’s best ever at a Slam.
Serena leads the their head to head 5 to 3, but Dementieva has won four out of the last five. However, the one loss was a big one – the semis of the 20098 Australian Open, where she came in red-hot and Serena quickly cooled her off.
“Every time you feel excited, every time it’s a new game, it’s a new challenge, and you just feel like it’s the first time,” Dementieva said.
Sadly, Vera Zvonareva had to pull out prior to her match with Virginie Razzano as she re-aggravated her ankle injury. The French vet will play another woman of the long wars, Francesca Schiavone, who took out Marion Bartoli.
Saturday’s popcorn match will be between Ana Ivanovic and Sam Stosur, but Amelie Mauresmo v. Flavia Pennetta should be fun, too.
