WIMBLEDON WOMEN'S SINGLES
WIM Wom Rd1 Amanmurd-Parment 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 20:24:16
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27768 AMANMURADOVA Akgul 1.45 $
27769 PARMENTIER Pauline 2.60 $

WIM Wom Rd1 Bondarenko K-Fujiwara 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 21:01:35
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27830 BONDARENKO Kateryna 1.15 $
27831 FUJIWARA Rika 4.85 $

WIM Wom Rd1 Baltacha-Kerber 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 20:09:47
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27731 BALTACHA Elena 3.10 $
27732 KERBER Angelique 1.33 $

WIM Wom Rd1 Benesova-Radwanska 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 21:13:02
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27842 BENESOVA Iveta 4.50 $
27843 RADWANSKA Agnieszka 1.17 $
^ Top
WIM Wom Rd1 Bartoli-Lisicki 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 21:15:11
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27844 BARTOLI Marion 1.22 $
27845 LISICKI Sabine 3.90 $

WIM Wom Rd1 Cornet-Pavlyuchnkva 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 21:06:57
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27836 CORNET Alize 1.50 $
27837 PAVLYUCHENKOVA Anastasia 2.45 $

WIM Wom Rd1 Chan-Safina 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 21:35:24
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27966 CHAN Yung-Jan 7.00 $
27967 SAFINA Dinara 1.07 $

WIM Wom Rd1 Dubois-Chakvetadze 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 20:54:41
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27803 DUBOIS Stephanie 7.00 $
27804 CHAKVETADZE Anna 1.07 $
^ Top
WIM Wom Rd1 Dementieva-Camerin 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 21:29:24
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27929 DEMENTIEVA Elena 1.05 $
27930 CAMERIN Maria-Elena 8.00 $

WIM Wom Rd1 Dushevina-Kirilenko 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 21:19:08
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27873 DUSHEVINA Vera 2.85 $
27874 KIRILENKO Maria 1.38 $

WIM Wom Rd1 Foretz-Sharapova 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 21:37:48
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
28005 FORETZ Stephanie 12.00 $
28006 SHARAPOVA Maria 1.01 $

WIM Wom Rd1 Garbin-Szavay 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 20:19:21
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27741 GARBIN Tathiana 3.40 $
27742 SZAVAY Agnes 1.28 $
^ Top
WIM Wom Rd1 Ivanovic-De Los Rios - Head to Head
Odds updated at 20:07:07
00:30 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27704 IVANOVIC Ana 1.01 $
27705 DE LOS RIOS Rossana 12.00 $

WIM Wom Rd1 Kanepi-Williams S 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 21:27:10
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27904 KANEPI Kaia 7.50 $
27905 WILLIAMS Serena 1.06 $

WIM Wom Rd1 Kuznetsova-Johansn M 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 20:58:30
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27805 KUZNETSOVA Svetlana 1.07 $
27806 JOHANSSON Mathilde 7.00 $

WIM Wom Rd1 Lgstra Vives-Vesnina 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 20:30:55
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27799 LLAGOSTERA VIVES Nuria 2.75 $
27800 VESNINA Elena 1.40 $
^ Top
WIM Wom Rd1 Mauresmo-Harkleroad 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 21:20:34
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27875 MAURESMO Amelie 1.33 $
27876 HARKLEROAD Ashley 3.10 $

WIM Wom Rd1 Mattek-Bremond 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 21:17:44
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27871 MATTEK Bethanie 1.42 $
27872 BREMOND Severine 2.70 $

WIM Wom Rd1 Meusburger-Gallovits 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 20:52:32
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27801 MEUSBURGER Yvonne 2.30 $
27802 GALLOVITS Edina 1.55 $

WIM Wom Rd1 Niculescu-Rybarikova 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 20:17:40
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27739 NICULESCU Monica 2.20 $
27740 RYBARIKOVA Magdalena 1.60 $
^ Top
WIM Wom Rd1 Ondraskova-Vaidisova 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 20:27:30
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27795 ONDRASKOVA Zuzana 3.90 $
27796 VAIDISOVA Nicole 1.22 $

WIM Wom Rd1 Domachowska-Craybas 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 21:10:23
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27840 DOMACHOWSKA Dominika 1.52 $
27841 CRAYBAS Jill 2.40 $

WIM Wom Rd1 Pin-ZhlvaStrycva 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 21:03:19
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27832 PIN Camille 2.05 $
27833 ZAHLAVOVA STRYCOVA Barbora 1.70 $

WIM Wom Rd1 Razzano-Rodina 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 20:29:02
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27797 RAZZANO Virginie 1.30 $
27798 RODINA Evgeniya 3.25 $
^ Top
WIM Wom Rd1 Stosur-Olaru 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 20:25:45
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27770 STOSUR Samantha 1.16 $
27771 OLARU Iona 4.60 $

WIM Wom Rd1 Schiavone-Paszek 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 20:15:22
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27735 SCHIAVONE Francesca 1.33 $
27736 PASZEK Tamira 3.10 $

WIM Wom Rd1 Sequera-R-Pasqual 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 21:22:49
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27900 SEQUERA Milagros 3.00 $
27901 RUANO PASCUAL Virginia 1.35 $

WIM Wom Rd1 South-Bondarenko A 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 21:04:48
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27834 SOUTH Melanie 5.00 $
27835 BONDARENKO Alona 1.14 $
^ Top
WIM Wom Rd1 Savchuk-Jankovic 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 21:42:44
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
28106 SAVCHUK Olga 9.00 $
28107 JANKOVIC Jelena 1.04 $

WIM Wom Rd1 Schnyder-Dellacqua 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 20:21:21
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27743 SCHNYDER Patty 1.60 $
27744 DELLACQUA Casey 2.20 $

WIM Wom Rd1 Voracova-Davenport 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 21:33:18
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27958 VORACOVA Renata 7.00 $
27959 DAVENPORT Lindsay 1.07 $

WIM Wom Rd1 Williams V-Cavaday 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 21:38:44
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
28030 WILLIAMS Venus 1.02 $
28031 CAVADAY Naomi 11.00 $
^ Top
WIM Wom Rd1 Zheng-Ciblkv 24/06 - Head to Head
Odds updated at 20:12:15
21:07 Tue 24 Jun 2008
SPORTSBET NO. SELECTION (DEFAULT) PRICE AMOUNT TOTAL
27733 ZHENG Jie 2.40 $
27734 CIBULKOVA Dominika 1.52 $


I'm taking a multi bet with the following numbers -
27901
27735
27797
27796
27802
27871
27875
27800
27732
27844
odds - $18.93/1

bundy is has a good record with tennis tips. WHERE ARE YOU BRAD ?

June 25, 2008

Casey Dellacqua kept the flag flying for Australia's women at Wimbledon as she moved into the third round with a 1-6, 6-2, 6-3 win over France's Pauline Parmentier.

However, Sam Stosur blew a golden chance to set up an all-Australian third round clash as the wildcard crashed 2-6, 6-0, 4-6 against Czech 18th seed Nicole Vaidisova.

Dellacqua, No.43 in the world rankings, stunned No.12 seed Patty Schnyder in the first round to earn her first ever Wimbledon win and built on that with another impressive display against Parmentier.

She had beaten former Wimbledon champion Amelie Mauresmo and Marion Bartoli, last year's runner-up here, earlier this season, so shouldn't have been lacking in confidence.

But Parmentier, ranked no.59 in the world, broke early and raced into a 3-0 lead before confidently closing out the set.

Dellacqua regrouped in the changeover and was transformed in the second set.

She started to pound fierce forehands from the baseline and broke in the fourth game to go 3-1 and took the set. That set up a tense decider that went Dellacqua's way when she broke late in the final set.

Meanwhile, Stosur, 24, had recovered from dropping the first set to level the match and then led 3-0 in the final set against Vaidisova.

She had won nine games in a row to get to that position but ran out of steam as Vaidisova dug deep to snatch a gutsy win.

Stosur, who struggled with a debilitating virus for several months, will be devastated by the missed opportunity but she can take heart from the way she competed against one of the sport's leading players.

The Queenslander had a dismal record against the Czech teenager, losing all five of their previous meetings and she made an awful start, dropping her first two service games to go 3-0 down and effectively surrender the set.

The vociferous backing of the Aussie fans who packed onto Court Three lifted Stosur at the start of the second set and she broke early when Vaidisova sent a smash carelessly wide.

She managed to save three break points on her next service game and Vaidisova seemed to give up on the set. Stosur, returning with growing confidence, broke again to ensure the match went to a final set.

Stosur was full of confidence now and broke early in the decider when Vaidisova tamely netted a forehand.

That should have been the signal for Stosur to seal the match as Vaidisova looked down and out.

Somehow the Czech managed to break in the fourth game and change the whole momentum of the match. She was suddenly performing like a top 20 player again and broke for the second time to go 4-3 up and close out the tie.

June 27, 2008

MARIA Sharapova suffered a humbling second-round exit at Wimbledon as the former champion was beaten 6-2 6-4 by fellow Russian and world No.154 Alla Kudryavtseva.

Sharapova, the No.3 seed, tumbled out of the tournament she won in 2004 after a lacklustre display on court one.

The pin-up of the women's game had reached at least the fourth round on all five of her previous visits to the All England Club, but she could have no complaints after being over-powered by her compatriot, who now plays China's Peng Shuai.

"I guess it wasn't my day. She just did everything better than I did,'' Sharapova said.

"She had nothing to lose and went for her shots. She served and returned better and on grass they are two important elements.

"I was just pretty tentative. I'm not sure why. It's a question I'll be asking myself. I wasn't playing my game and I let her take control on the majority of points.''

Sharapova was adamant the defeat didn't reflect a lack of desire in her game.

"On any given day you can go out there and if your game's not quite right you can be beaten, especially against an opponent with not much to lose,'' she said.

"I know how hungry players are on the tour. This girl might not win the tournament but she beat me and that's probably made her tournament.

"Losses are always disappointing. There's one winner of the tournament and everyone else loses. I'm one of them.

"I'm experienced enough to know that life goes on. There's a lot worse things than losing a tennis match, even if it is at Wimbledon, which is pretty important to me. I still have the desire to go back out there.''

It was the performance of a lifetime from Kudryavtseva.

She has never been past the third round of a grand slam and this was only her second singles victory at Wimbledon.

But for Sharapova, it was an hour and 23 minutes of misery and another crushing disappointment after her fourth-round defeat to Dinara Safina at the French Open.

Sharapova, once again playing in her 'tuxedo' top and shorts combo, found it hard to get into her stride from the start and had to save a break point in her second service game.

If that was a warning that Sharapova shouldn't take Kudryavtseva lightly, she didn't heed it.

Pressured by her compatriot's huge groundstrokes, the Australian Open champion was completely out of sorts and three double faults in the sixth game saw her fall 4-2 behind.

Kudryavtseva, 20, was growing in confidence and Sharapova, who had won their only previous meeting at the French Open last year, could muster little response.

Another wayward shot from Sharapova gave Kudryavtseva her first set point and she wasted no time converting it.

Sharapova needed a quick break to get back into the match in the second set and she got exactly that in the first game when a return on break point glanced off the net and trickled over.

But not even that stroke of luck could galvanise Sharapova and another double fault gave Kudryavtseva a break back.

When Sharapova berated herself after sending a forehand wide midway through the set, it was as if she could sense her impending demise. Kudryavtseva went for the kill and a perfect forehand earned a 4-2 lead.

With the match slipping out of reach, Sharapova managed to summon up a break back.

Still she didn't wake from her slumber and another double fault gave Kudryavtseva a match point, which she took with one last crushing forehand.

June 27, 2008

FOUR-time champion Venus Williams cruised into the last 32 of Wimbledon but fellow former winner Lindsay Davenport limped away from the All England Club, probably never to return.

Defending champion Williams ended British hopes in the women's singles with a 7-5 6-2 win over Anne Keothavong while Davenport never even made it on to court.

The 32-year-old American, the champion in 1999 and runner-up on her last appearance in 2005, handed scheduled opponent Gisela Dulko a walkover after failing to recover from a knee injury which bothered her in the first round.

Despite the disappointing end to her 13th Wimbledon, Davenport is confident of playing at the Beijing Olympics and at the US Open later this year.

"There's two events that I've been wanting to play since I've been back,'' said Davenport, who took a break from the tour to have her first child last year.

"The Olympics were number one. That's on the forefront of my mind. To play in New York another time. After that, I have no plans.''

Women's No.2 seed Jelena Jankovic of Serbia beat Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro 6-1 6-3 and now plays Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki while No.9 seed Dinara Safina followed big brother Marat into the third round with a 6-3 6-2 win over Taiwan's Su-Wei Hsieh.

Russia's Alisa Kleybanova put out No.10 seed Daniela Hantuchova 6-3 4-6 6-1.

Dulko, the world No.39, goes on to face either No.5 seed Elena Dementieva or Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland while Williams will tackle Spain's Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, who put out Indian Sania Mirza, the No.32 seed, 6-0 4-6 9-7.

Mirza lost the first eight games of the second-round tie but recovered well enough to earn four match points in the final set before handing the advantage back to the 25-year-old Spaniard.

Asian honour was rescued by 31-year-old Thai Tamarine Tanasugarn, who produced her best grand slam performance for three years as she stunned Vera Zvonareva, the No.13 seed.

Tamarine, ranked 60th in the world, hadn't reached the last 32 at a major since Wimbledon in 2006, but she was able to end that barren run with a 7-6 (12-10), 4-6 6-3 victory.

Tamarine, who went through qualifying to win the 's-Hertogenbosch grass-court event in Holland last week, next faces New Zealand's Marina Erakovic for a place in the last 16.

June 28, 2008

NO.1 seed and French Open champion Ana Ivanovic has been sent crashing out of Wimbledon in straight sets by Chinese wildcard Zheng Jie, the world No.133.

Ivanovic's 6-1 6-4 defeat comes just a day after No.3 seed and 2004 champion Maria Sharapova was sent packing by world No.154 Alla Kudryavtseva as the chase for the 2008 women's title was thrown wide open.

"It's a real surprise and I have to thank Wimbledon for giving me a wildcard,'' said the 24-year-old Zheng, whose ranking has slipped from a high of 27 because of a serious ankle injury.

"It was tough. Ana has a good serve and a forehand so I tried to play to her backhand. I tried to enjoy it and told myself to keep going,'' added Zheng, a Wimbledon doubles champion in 2006.

Zheng goes on to face Hungarian Agnes Szavay, the No.15 seed, for a place in the quarter-finals while Ivanovic, who had been lucky to survive in the second round, continues to struggle with her world No.1 status.

"There was a little bit of pressure being world No.1,'' said 20-year-old Ivanovic.

"But I adjusted and I wasn't as nervous as I was for the first match. It's still a learning experience for me. I tried to find my game but I knew I was struggling. It's been an emotional few weeks and it has taken its toll.

"I didn't have as good preparation as I hoped for because I had to have some time off, so I didn't have too much time to practise and to do all these little specific movements and things you need to in order to adjust to the grass.

"Obviously it was tough because from the first match on, I tried to find my game, but I felt like I was struggling a little bit.

"It took time to adjust to the grass because, especially after clay, it's a completely different game.''

Serena Williams won the battle of former champions when she beat France's Amelie Mauresmo 7-6 (7-5) 6-1.

Williams, the 2002 and 2003 champion, goes on to face Bethanie Mattek for a place in the quarter-finals after her fellow American put out 2007 runner-up Marion Bartoli 6-4 6-1.

Svetlana Kuznetsova and Anna Chakvetadze helped ease the pain of Russia's Euro 2008 football exit by moving into the last 16.

No.4 seed Kuznetsova celebrated her 23rd birthday with a comfortable 6-2 6-4 win over Czech qualifier Barbora Zahlavova Strycova and will face Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska, the No.14 seed putting out 16-year-old Russian qualifier Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-3 6-2.

Chakvetadze, the No.8 seed, reached the fourth round for the first time with a 6-4 6-3 win over compatriot Evgeniya Rodina.

She next faces Czech Nicole Vaidisova, the No.18 seed, who put out Australia's world No.43 Casey Dellacqua 6-2 6-4.

Vaidisova was a quarter-finalist in 2007 where she lost to Ivanovic despite holding three match points and is desperate to put her season back on track after a nightmare run where she lost six successive first round matches.

She stopped the rot with a quarter-final run at Birmingham two weeks ago and even an hour-long rain suspension couldn't disrupt her rhythm on Friday.

June 28, 2008

AUSTRALIA'S Casey Dellacqua bowed out of Wimbledon in the third round with a 6-2 6-4 defeat to Czech Nicole Vaidisova, the No.18 seed.

Dellacqua, 43rd in the world rankings, was the second Australian to be knocked out by Vaidisova, who had beaten Sam Stosur in the previous round and who now plays Anna Chakvetadze, the No.8 seed.

The 23-year-old's exit ended Australia's presence in the women's singles before the end of the first week.

Six months after reaching the fourth round at Australian Open, Dellacqua was unable to repeat that feat.

But she can still be relatively satisfied after claiming a first Wimbledon win by shocking 12th seed Patty Schnyder in the first round.

Dellacqua said: "I thought I could put pressure on her after the rain-break but I can't have any complaints. I'll go back to Australia when I've finished in the doubles here and get ready for the hard court season and the Olympics.''

Vaidisova hailed the impact of her new coach, Britain's David Felgate, as she recovers from a woeful run of six successive first round exits earlier this year.

"I definitely played a great match,'' she said.

"I've made some changes in my team, a new coach. The changes needed some time.

"It doesn't come overnight, so I'm happy it's paying off and I'm showing some progress.''

Dellacqua got off to the worst possible start as she was broken in the first game after an over-rule from the umpire on break point.

The occasional booming winner from the Perth-based left-hander counted for little when she too often produced careless unforced errors as well.

She couldn't convert a break point at 2-3 and that was as close as she came to getting back into the match.

Vaidisova, a graceful yet sometimes unpredictable performer, easily took the first set in 23 minutes.

She kept the pressure on in the second set and broke for 3-2 lead before a lengthy rain delay at 4-3 gave Dellacqua a final chance to regroup.

But when the players finally re-emerged, Vaidisova held serve twice to see out the win.

July 01, 2008

VENUS and Serena Williams have edged closer to another Wimbledon final showdown but the sisters found themselves upstaged by the exploits of two unheralded players from Asia.

For the first time in Wimbledon history there will be two Asians in the quarter-finals of the women's singles after Thai veteran Tamarine Tanasugarn, who sent No.2 seed Jelena Jankovic packing, was joined in the last eight by Chinese wildcard Zheng Jie.

Zheng followed up her defeat of No.1 seed Ana Ivanovic in the third round by demolishing No.15 seed Agnes Szavay from Hungary 6-3 6-4, and she will fancy her chances of continuing her run against her next opponent, the No.18 seed Nicole Vaidisova from the Czech Republic.

Zheng and Tamarine also find themselves in the first grand slam quarter-finals draw of the open era without the top four seeds after Svetlana Kuznetsova joined Ivanovic, Jankovic and No.3 seed Maria Sharapova in the queue of stars humbled at the All England Club.

Agnieszka Radwanska, the No.14 seed from Poland, defeated No.4 seed Kuznetsova from Russia 6-4 1-6 7-5 to set up a quarter-final against Serena Williams.

Elena Dementieva, at No.5 the highest seed left in the women's draw, breezed into the quarter-finals with a 6-2 6-1 victory over Israel's Shahar Peer.

Despite making the greater number of unforced errors, the 26-year-old Russian, who made the last eight at the All England Club for the first and only time two years ago, dominated from the start, breaking the No.24 seed at either end of the first set.

For Tamarine, who next plays four-time champion Venus Williams, it was a case of ninth time lucky as she took advantage of Jankovic's struggles with a knee injury to end a run of eight defeats in last-16 matches at grand slam tournaments.

Her 6-3 6-2 victory saw the 31-year-old become the first Thai to reach a grand slam quarter-final, and the achievement was reflected in the tears of joy she wept on Court 18.

"It is great for Asian tennis that Zheng Jie and myself have both made the quarter-finals," she said. "It shows we can produce great tennis and you don't have to be two metres tall or something like that."

Jankovic arrived with a bandage on her left leg, a legacy of her third-round win over Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki, and the injury clearly limited her.

Her movement was never as fluid as she would have liked and it seemed to sap her morale. She constantly flexed the leg between points and cried out in frustration as Tamarine took control.

Jankovic is renowned for her ferocious ground strokes but Tamarine was able to out-hit her time and again.

The Serb was anything but gracious in defeat.

Told before the match that she was playing “a Thai girl'' in the last 16, Jankovic replied “Tiger who? Tiger Woods?".

"Quite solid," was all she offered post-match in praise of Tamarine's performance, despite her opponent also having to struggle with an injury, to her back.

Venus and Serena Williams meanwhile emerged unscathed from her respective trips to Court No.2, the famous "graveyard of champions", and they were left fuming over scheduling that they clearly regarded as a snub, in particular for defending champion Venus, who is gunning for her fifth singles title at the All England Club.

Venus moved moved a step closer to that objective by beating fast-rising Russian teenager Alisa Kleybanova 6-4 6-3 before expressing surprise that organisers had not found space on Centre Court or Court No.1 for herself or Serena, who eased past fellow American Bethanie Mattek 6-3 6-3.

"There is not too much I am going to say about that in the press," Venus said with a glare that left no one in the audience with any doubt as to her true feelings.

"Obviously we know wherever we play we have to play well, and that is pretty much all I'm going to say about that."

But Williams agreed with a suggestion that men's champion Roger Federer or his main rival, Rafael Nadal, would not have to put up with similar treatment.

"You said it," she said. "It is true."

Serena added: "I do think it is weird, especially for the defending female champion who has won the tournament four times.

"I have only won twice - but, hey, that is not so bad."

One of the reasons put forward for the high number of upsets on Court No.2 is that the surface is allegedly less even than on the bigger show courts. But Serena said she was more unsettled by the proximity of the crowd.

"I'm actually really tall, so I feel a little cramped," she said.

"There is a lot of back (on the court), but there is less side."

But men's world No.1 Roger Federer suggested women complaining about biased treatment should just get on with playing tennis.

"It's the club who decides in the end ... we have to accept the fact," Federer said.

Serena said she had not been offered any explanation as to why she and her sister, the biggest names left in the women's draw, had been "banished" from the show courts.

"I guess that is a question best addressed to the All England Club," she said.

"Initially I did think maybe there was a mistake. But at the end of the day, I've got to focus on winning my match."

July 06, 2008

VENUS Williams outhit younger sister Serena to claim her fifth Wimbledon crown in exhilarating fashion.

The defending champion recovered from a whirlwind start by her younger sister to land her seventh grand slam title, winning 7-5 6-4 on Centre Court.

The quality of the meeting dispelled any suggestion that the siblings were incapable or unwilling to produce their best tennis against each other.

But Venus admitted she never found it easy to take on Serena, who comfortably won their previous Wimbledon finals, in 2002 and 2003.

"My first job is a big sister, and I take that very seriously," she said.

"It is hard for all of my family, although I like to think they want me to win.

“It was a Wimbledon final, I expected her to be all over everything I put out there. I did not really think a lot, I just kept playing.

“It was not looking that great at 3-1 and 4-2 (for Serena) but when it got even it got a little bit closer.

“When the match is that close it is more exciting to win but I'm definitely in tune with my sister's feelings. You can never detract from winning Wimbledon but I was definitely thinking about how my sister is feeling.

“At no point am I able to forget that it is Serena on the other side of the net. I have the ultimate respect for her game. If I was playing anyone else I would not have had to face what I had to face today.''

Serena, who had won five of her previous six grand slam finals against her sister, admitted things had not gone as she had expected.

"She was a little better today, but it didn't work out as planned," she said.

"But I'm so happy that at least one of us could win. We were glad to be in the final."

The lacklustre nature of some of the sisters' previous meetings had led some people to voice fears that this would be another contest lacking in the intensity both women bring to bear on other rivals.

On that score, the opening point of the match was encouraging as Serena ruthlessly took advantage of a short second serve with a searing forehand down the line.

Any lingering doubts this would be as ferociously contested as any final of recent years were then completely banished by an exchange in the third game of the match.

Serena was looking to take a stranglehold on the match having followed her break in the opening game with a service game to love, and she duly accepted the opportunity to punish an under-hit volle - lashing the ball straight at her elder sister's midriff. Survival instincts alone enabled Venus to get her racquet onto the ball, and somehow she squeezed it back over the net to win the point.

The defending champion managed to hold serve but the momentum remained with Serena, who was denied a 4-1 lead when a forehand from her sister caught the top of the net and dropped almost dead on the second break point of the fifth game.

Venus was clinging on and her perseverance paid off when Serena's level finally dipped sufficiently for the elder sister to level things with a break for 4-4.

Venus, the defending champion, then got her nose in front after a sporting gesure from her sister. With Serena having exclaimed 'no' as she mishit a backhand, both sisters were surprised to see the ball drop in. The umpire ordered the point replayed but Serena conceded it and the game.

A tentative edge had appeared in Serena's game by this stage and, serving at 5-6, she gifted her sister the first set with a tamely netted backhand.

The first game of the second set saw Venus fired down a serve at 208km/h - a Wimbledon record - but Serena appeared to have regained the initiative when she converted her seventh break point in the 14-minute third game of the second set.

But Venus hit back immediately to level.

The games then went with serve until, with Serena serving at 4-5, Venus ran down a drop shot and sent a backhand down the line to claim two match points.

Serena produced an ace to save the first but a long rally on the second ended with her pushing a backhand just wide to hand her sister the title.

Venus paid tribute to the performance of Serena.

"I can't believe it is five because when you are in the final against Serena Williams, five seems so far away," she said.

"It's unbelievable especially with some of the injuries I have gone through. I love this place."

July 06, 2008

VENUS and Serena Williams won the Wimbledon women's doubles title just hours after Venus defeated her younger sister in straight sets to claim the singles title.

The sisters joined forces to overpower Samantha Stosur from Australia and Lisa Raymond from the United States, winning 6-2 6-2 in cool, blustery conditions.

Stosur said while the weather wasn't ideal and the match was tough, she enjoyed the final - the first she and Raymond had played at Wimbledon.

“The wind wasn't the easiest thing, but neither was returning Venus' serve at 124 miles an hour so, it's the way it goes,'' Stosur said.

“It was our first Wimbledon final and unfortunately we came up against the two singles finalists as well, which wasn't easy, but we gave it our best shot.''

Stosur has another chance to win a title at the All England Club when she and American Bob Bryan meet Mike Bryan and Slovenia's Katarina Srebotnik in the mixed doubles final.

“That will be a bit funny, my partner playing his brother ... but it should be a lot of fun,'' Stosur said.

The result saw the Williams sisters claim their 11th title as a pair, and their seventh grand slam crown.

The match did not start until 7.40pm local time and, with the light fading, the Williams sisters raced to a one-set lead in half an hour. Just 28 minutes later, they had won the match.

They claimed a decisive break in the fifth game of the second set, blasted through their next service game, which they won to love, and broke again for a 5-2 lead.

With Venus serving for the championship, the sisters won the final game to love, sealing victory when the five-time singles champion sent a backhand past Stosur to land just inside the baseline.