Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Pain-free Serena looks forward to Riske challenge

SERENA WILLIAMS reached her 14th Wimbledon quarter-final by overwhelming Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro 6-2 6-2 even though she was not at her magnificent best on Court One on Monday (8).

The 37-year-old American, aiming for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title, produced 19 unforced errors, including a bizarre mistake when she leaned over the net to hit a volley and had the point docked.


"I should know the rules," Williams, who has been playing Grand Slam tennis for 21 years, said with a smile.

Williams also conjured 21 winners, some of which left the crowd gasping in admiration and her 30-year-old opponent helpless on the other side of the net.

She now faces Alison Riske, a former doubles partner, in the quarter-finals after the American upset Australian top seed Ash Barty in three sets earlier on Monday.

Williams, seeded 11th, had little match practice coming into Wimbledon because of injury and teamed up with local hero Andy Murray in the mixed doubles to get some more playing time.

"I've had more matches this week than the past five months but it's definitely good and I know I can play and I'm now physically better," she said immediately after coming off court.

Later she added it felt good simply to be without pain.

"Doing three hours of treatment every practice , every match, just to be able to have 50% pain - that was tough," she said. "I can't tell you how much better I feel... that's a victory in itself."

Suarez Navarro, ranked 31 in the world and one of the smaller players on tour, lacks the big weapons and serving power needed for grass and has always had trouble against Williams.

Monday's defeat was her seventh against the seven times Wimbledon champion.

Though the Spaniard broke the American's serve in the second set, she had no answer for Williams's pounding groundstrokes. Suarez Navarro slipped trying to retrieve the ball to go match-point down, then mis-hit a backhand to concede defeat.

Williams, who first played at the All-England club as a 16-year-old in 1998, said she was still ambitious.

"I'm a really pumped player and of course I still want it or I wouldn't be here."

Williams knows all about her next opponent, 29-year-old Riske, having enjoyed playing doubles with the American.

"She's a fighter on the court. She's playing really great, especially on the grass. She's attacking that ball really well. She doesn't let anything limit her," said Williams.

"It was really fun to play doubles with her. We had a good time on the court. Also she was very serious, as was I...

"I think she's a great girl, a great person. She's just a great personality that you kind of gravitate to."

(Reuters)

More For You

Northern-Superchargers-Getty

Ben Stokes and Matthew Short of Northern Superchargers walk out to bat during The Hundred match between Manchester Originals and Northern Superchargers on August 11, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo: Getty Images)

Sunrisers Hyderabad to acquire Northern Superchargers in £100 million deal

INDIAN Premier League franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad is set to become the first full owners of an English Hundred team after agreeing to buy Yorkshire’s Northern Superchargers for a reported £100 million.

The Sun Group will be the third IPL-linked investor in the eight-team Hundred competition, following Reliance Industries, which owns Mumbai Indians, and RPSG, which runs Lucknow Super Giants.

Keep ReadingShow less
England rejects calls to boycott Afghanistan match

ECB chairman Richard Thompson. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)

England rejects calls to boycott Afghanistan match

ENGLAND will play their Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan later this month, England's cricket board (ECB) said, despite calls to boycott the game in response to the Taliban government's crackdown on women's rights.

Last month, a group of British lawmakers urged England to boycott the Champions Trophy group stage match against Afghanistan which will be held in Lahore on February 26.

Keep ReadingShow less
Greg Norman calls for more
golf events in ‘sleeping giant’ India

Greg Norman

Greg Norman calls for more golf events in ‘sleeping giant’ India

Eastern Eye

INDIA is a sleeping giant in golf, Australian legend Greg Norman has said, as he called for more tournaments to be held in the country to help players realise their true potential.

The 69-year-old former world number one, who has 88 professional titles under his belt, spoke of his optimism for India’s growth in the sport.

Keep ReadingShow less
india-england-odi-BCCI

India handed ODI debuts to opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and fast bowler Harshit Rana. (Photo credit: BCCI)

England bat first in ODI opener as Kohli sits out

ENGLAND captain Jos Buttler won the toss and chose to bat against India in the first of three one-day internationals in Nagpur on Thursday.

India were without Virat Kohli, who missed out due to a sore right knee.

Keep ReadingShow less
Manchester-Originals-Getty

If finalised within the eight-week exclusivity period, the deal would make Manchester Originals the second team in The Hundred to have an IPL-affiliated investor. (Photo: Getty Images)

India’s RPSG Group buys 49 per cent stake in Hundred’s Manchester Originals

THE RPSG Group, owners of Indian Premier League (IPL) team Lucknow Super Giants, have secured a 49 per cent stake in Manchester Originals following the latest auction of The Hundred franchises on Monday.

Reports suggest the deal is valued at around £58 million, placing the overall valuation of Manchester Originals, who play at Old Trafford, at over £100m.

Keep ReadingShow less