Just Like Old Times, It’s Williams Vs. Williams at Wimbledon

Williams dropped only one point on serve in her opening two service games and jumped all over Watson’s serve to break in the fourth. Asked if she was taken aback by the reaction, Williams said: “I agree”.

Clarey wrote, “There is no doubt that Williams was a great tennis player before Mouratoglou, the ambitious Frenchman with the salt-and-pepper stubble, became her coach and, according to reports, her on-again, off-again boyfriend”.

“If I see her in a match in a tight spot, I know exactly what that feels like”. I’ve watched that match a few times. “Just going through my routine and sticking with that on and off the court and I think that’s what has kept me settled”.

To Tomics credit, he scrapped and battled to the bitter end but the 27th seed looked a relieved man to escape from a sun-baked Centre Court when Djokovic, chasing a third Wimbledon title, smacked down his 15th ace to close out the match.

“It wasn’t to be today”. Venus, who won in straight sets on Friday, is playing her best tennis since she learned that she had Sjögren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease that sometimes saps her energy.

Guernsey native Watson pushed to the very brink of a remarkable triumph, even serving for the match, but when it came to the ultimate crunch, this season’s real Serena Williams stepped forward.

The story of the day came with the final game on Centre Court, as home favorite Heather Watson took on world number one Serena Williams in what turned out to be an enthralling match.

“[Watson] was very unlucky but she should be proud of the performance she gave against a world-class tennis player”, Houghton told PA.

“It was the loudest the crowd has ever been for me”, Watson added.

Watson said: “I hope I have made people proud”.

Often, she falls behind, sometimes so far behind that her fans must think, “OK, she’s done, there’s no way out of this one”.

Williams raced into a one-set lead in just 25 minutes, raising fears of an cakewalk.

“Watson may have had a double break advantage in the deciding set, and served for the match, but this was not an opportunity she threw away. “.

So it must seem, and now she is back to facing her sister.

Williams rallied from 40-0 down to break Watson again and level the set at three games apiece but still Watson refused to buckle.

Williams’ seemingly inexorable march towards a calendar grand slam was nearly halted in its tracks by the British No 1.

And she is not the holder of the USA, Australian and French Open titles for nothing.

Serena Williams of the United States celebrates winning a point against Heather Watson of Britain, during their singles match at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships in Wimbledon, London. She fought against Serena and never gave up. The Bryan brothers weren’t surprised that Williams eventually won.

Three days on from the crushing disappointment, Houghton expects her central defensive partner will be raring to go again in Edmonton.

“She’s been so inspiring to me; she’s just an incredible individual”.

Watson, ranked 59 in the world, has set herself the target of getting inside the top 25.

“I think we’re both more mature. I knew it was going to be a tough match and I toughed it out and got it done in four sets”.

The Briton saw Serena simply as someone standing in her path to Wimbledon’s second week, an opponent blocking her goal to reach the last 16 of a major for the first time, and she should be applauded for that approach – it almost paid dividends, too.

Venus returned the compliment, claiming she would support Serena if she were a bystander.