(July 6, 2015)
On the second Monday of Wimbledon, it was “Sister Act” part 26 as No. 1 Serena Williams defeated her sister and the 16th seed Venus 6-4, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals. It was the younger sister’s sixth victory of the last seven, raising her head-to-head record to 15-11.
“I just thought,`Wow, I’m 33, and she just turned 35. I don’t know how many more moments like this we’ll have.’ I plan on playing for years, but you never know if we’ll have the opportunity to face each other,” Serena said after walking off the court. “I just took the moment in, and I thought, `We’re at Wimbledon.’ I remember when I was 8 years old, we dreamed of this moment, and it was kind of surreal.”
“When that moment is over, it will be over,” Venus said, shrugging her shoulders. “It’s not now.”
Tuesday’s win puts Serena closer to winning her 21st major title, fourth in a row, keeping hope alive the possibility of a Grand Slam should she win at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.
“I no longer answer questions about Grand Slams,” Serena told media.
“It’s been six years since we played each other,” Serena said. “I just really was enjoying the moment out there. It was such a great vibe, such a great situation to be in, when we were both so young and dreaming of coming to Wimbledon.
“Not only did we fulfill our dreams, we both won it five times. That’s pretty amazing.
“I just had an opportunity to reflect on that.”
Serena Williams will play Victoria Azarenka on Tuesday for a spot in the semis. Azarenka defeated Belinda Bencic 6-3. 6-2.
I’ve had a couple of tough matches with Victoria,” Serena said. “It doesn’t matter who I play, I’m going to be ready. I’m going to have to be ready. She’s due to win big and to do really well.”
“I look forward to tomorrow. I feel like my tournament has finally begun. This is where I feel really comfortable in a Grand Slam.”
“Well, the key is for me, I still need to find it because I haven’t beat her in the Grand Slam,” said Azarenka. “So for me, I still have to find that extra step to go a little bit further.
“But she’s a great player. I mean, one of the greatest players of all time.
“I just try to really focus on what I have to do instead of thinking who is on the other side and try to execute my game.
“I think I have been playing pretty well, trying to climb and put my game together more and more. So I’m just trying to focus on tomorrow, is another day, another match, and keep it simple.”
Two more Americans join Serena Williams in the quarterfinals – Madison Keys and Coco Vandeweghe. Keys beat qualifier Olga Govortsova 3-6, 6-4, 6-1while Vandeweghe beat French Open finalist and sixth seed Lucie Safarova 7-6(1), 7-6(4)
“I mean, every moment there is a breakthrough whether it’s in a WTA tournament or in a Grand Slam,” Vandeweghe said. “Yes, this is the farthest I have ever gone in a Grand Slam and I’m playing really well at this time, but, you know, I’m not really considering it like, wow, a breakthrough.
I mean, I had set goals of what I wanted to do, and because I’m achieving it doesn’t mean it’s a breakthrough. I think it’s stepping stones more than a breakthrough. You know, I would more say it’s on the lines of it’s been a while coming because of what I felt that I have dedicated to my game of tennis.”
Vadeweghe will face Maria Sharapova next. The 2004 Wimbledon champion beat Zarina Diyas 6-4, 6-4.
“I think there is still going to be the nerves,” Madison Keys said about reaching her second major quarterfinal. “It’s second quarter and it’s against a different person. But I think there is at least some, Okay, I have done it before, I have been through it, I know what to expect.
“No matter what, it will be fun and will be exciting, and I just have to go out and try to focus on the match.”
Garbine Muguruza had the upset of the day when she ousted fifth seed Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 6-4.
“I went very like focused and prepared because I knew that she was going to try to do a long and physical match against me,” the Spaniard said. “So I think I used my opportunities of the short balls, good shots, the serve. I think I played really good. This helps me a lot against these types of players.”
On the men’s side of the draw Novak Djokovic and Kevin Anderson will have to complete their match on Tuesday. Djokovic lost the first two sets in tiebreaks and won the next two. Play was halted on Court 1 due to darkness.
Marin Cilic awaits the winner in his quarterfinal.
Roger Federer and Andy Murray moved into Wimbledon’s “elite 8.” Second-seeded Federer won 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 over No. 20 Roberto Bautista Agut. Murray bested Ivo Karlovic 7-6 (7), 6-4, 5-7, 6-4
The other men’s quarterfinal pairings are: Roger Federer vs. No. 12 Gilles Simon, Andy Murray vs. Vasek Pospisil, and Stan Wawrinka vs. No. 21 Richard Gasquet.
Ladies’ Singles – Fourth Round
(1) Serena Williams (USA) d. (16) Venus Williams (USA) 64 63
(4) Maria Sharapova (RUS) d. Zarina Diyas (KAZ) 64 64
(20) Garbine Muguruza (ESP) d. (5) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 64 64
CoCo Vandeweghe (USA) d. (6) Lucie Safarova (CZE) 76(1) 76(4)
(13) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) d. (28) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) 75 64
(15) Timea Bacsinszky (SUI) d. Monica Niculescu (ROU) 16 75 62
(21) Madison Keys (USA) d. (Q) Olga Govortsova (BLR) 36 64 61
(23) Victoria Azarenka (BLR) d. (30) Belinda Bencic (SUI) 63 62
Gentlemen’s Singles – Fourth Round
[2] Roger Federer (SUI) d. [20] Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) 62 62 63
[3] Andy Murray (GBR) d. [23] Ivo Karlovic (CRO) 76(7) 64 57 64
[4] Stan Wawrinka (SUI) d. [16] David Goffin (BEL) 76(3) 76(7) 64
[12] Gilles Simon (FRA) d. [6] Tomas Berdych (CZE) 63 63 62
[9] Marin Cilic (CRO) d. Denis Kudla (USA) 64 46 63 75
[21] Richard Gasquet (FRA) d. [26] Nick Kyrgios (AUS) 75 61 67(7) 76(6)
Vasek Pospisil (CAN) d. [22] Viktor Troicki (SRB) 46 67(4) 64 63 63