LONDON — German Sabine Lisicki turned the Wimbledon women’s draw on its head as she began a rain-threatened Monday with a knockout of top seed Maria Sharapova 6-4, 6-3.
Holder Petra Kvitova, seeded fourth, stayed alive in her title defense on the gloomy, chilly afternoon, posting a defeat of former French Open winner Francesca Schiavone 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 in a match which played in a drizzle, a decision which did not please Schiavone and caused some slippery conditions.
“The grass was a little bit humid so it was dangerous,” said Czech Kvitova. “But I was ready to play and to continue because I knew that I had a chance. For her was tougher because she needs to move more than I do.
“When I slid on the grass it seemed more quicker than normal.
“It’s going much better for me than at the beginning of the tournament. I’m not thinking about the pressure. I mean, every match I played I was favourite but I don’t think about that too much.”
Sixth-seeded four-time champion Serena Williams spoiled it for tournament golden girl Yaroslava Shvedova, who lost 6-1, 2-6, 7-5 to the American 48 hours after producing only the second golden set (24 straight points) ever recorded in the game.
Lisicki, 22, held her nerve as recent Roland Garros winner Sharapova, the world’s No. 1 player, saved two match points.
But the German who hates grass in itself due to allergies threw down a second-serve ace on her third winning chance to dump the top seed in just under 90 minutes with eight aces, 18 winners and four breaks of serve.
Lisicki had never beaten Sharapova in their previous three meetings over the last 16 months. The pair was playing at a Grand Slam for the third time at the last five majors.
Sharapova, a four-time winner of majors, was starting in a second week for the 25th time and the eighth time at Wimbledon, which she won as a teenager in 2004.
“This is just unbelievable,” said a shocked Lisicki. “I’ve beaten the French Open champion. I played well to finally beat her for the first time.
“I went for my shots and I felt great from the first point on. I’m a fighter and I fought to the end. The last game was really tough but I’m so happy.
“I’m getting better with each match, I’m looking forward to playing my next one (on Tuesday).”
Sharapova said her opponent “did many things much better than I did, I could have done things differently today.”
The 15th-seeded Lisicki’s win set up an all-German quarter-final with number eight Angelique Kerber, who crushed Kim Clijsters 6-1, 6-1 as the 29-year-old Belgian bowed out of Wimbledon for the last time before retirement in the autumn.
Austrian Tamira Paszek duplicated her 2011 quarter-final at the All England club as she put out Italian Roberta Vinci 6-2, 6-2.
In men’s play, six-time champion Roger Federer, treated for back problems but outlasted Xavier Malisse 7-6 (7-1), 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 to reach the last eight for an incredible 33rd straight time at a Grand Slam.
