Maria Sharapova has been knocked out of Wimbledon in the fourth round by 15 seed Sabine Lisicki. This unforseen and devestating loss could cost the Russian her rank as the number 1 women’s tennis player.
Sharapova lost in two sets in a match that was controlled by Lisicki from the beginning. Sharapova was intimidated by Lisicki’s fast serves, that she followed with powerful groundstrokes. Lisicki finished Sharapova off with an ace down the middle on her second match point. Sharapova fell 6-4, 6-3 to the German.
Although Lisicki is a 15 seed, the grass courts of Wimbledon suit her well. She made the quarters and the semis in her last two appearances, the quick pace of grass consistently playing to her style. So much so that she has developed something of a streak of knocking out French Open champions in Wimbledon. In 2009 she knocked out Svetlana Kuznetsova and in 2011 Li Na.
Sharapova was coming into Wimbledon on a high after winning her first French Open and completing a career Grand Slam. She was trying to become the first woman since Serena Williams to win the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year.
“I just went for my shots. Really from the first point on I felt great out there,” Lisicki said to AP after the match. “It’s my favorite tournament. I love playing on grass; I love the crowd here. I just love it.”
In other Wimbledon news, Grand Slam Champion Kim Clijsters was also knocked out in what she says is her final Wimbledon before she retires this year. Advancing are four time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams and defending champion, Petra Kvitova.