Serena Williams beats Svetlana Kuznetsova 7-5, 6-0
Serena fires an unstoppable forehand past her opponent to start the game. If she plays like this in the rest of the tournament no one will beat her. Kuznetsova is grinning to herself now. It ends with an unforced error form the Russian but that was a rarity: Serena won the match way more than Kuznetsova lost it. The last serve was all but faultless from the world No1.
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Second set: *Williams 7-5, 5-0 Kuznetsova (* denotes server)
A pleasant stroll under the roof for Serena, less so for her opponent. Kuznetsova has now won seven points since the break: even Serena looks a little sorry for her. The world No1 seals the game with her 14th ace of the match - and her eighth game in a row.
Second set: Williams 7-5, 4-0 Kuznetsova* (* denotes server)
Everything is going for Serena now. The Russian looks like she has won a point with a fizzing crosscourt forehand but Serena picks it almost at the net and dinks over a dropshot volley. Stunning stuff. Kuznetsova looks broken: no prizes for guessing who came out best after the rain break.
Second set: Williams 7-5, 3-0 Kuznetsova* (* denotes server)
Serena’s serve is too much for Kuznetsova at the moment - in truth, pretty much everything Serena is doing is too much. Another easy hold for Serena.
Second set: Williams 7-5, 2-0 Kuznetsova* (* denotes server)
Kuznetsova’s serve has been off the last few games but she opens up here a bit better and has Serena on the defensive as she takes the first point. Serena’s returns are coming in nearly 10mph faster since the break, according to ESPN and it shows as Serena brings up two break points. Kuznetsova isn’t playing badly so much as Serena is disrupting the rhythm of her serve. The Russian saves one break point before she nets to give Serena the early advantage in the second.
Second set: *Williams 7-5, 1-0 Kuznetsova (* denotes server)
Serena’s reaction to winning the first is barrage of brutal aces as she wins the second set opener to love.
Serena Williams wins the first set 7-5
Pressure on Kuznetsova here: but she comes out fighting and forces Serena into a long backhand to make it 30-15. The world No1 then wrongfoots her opponent to make it 30-30 and we have a set point. A good, deep serve puts Serena on the defensive though and we’re at deuce. But a brilliant return from Serena, right at the feet of her opponent, is too much and she seals the set at her next attempt. The American reeled off the final three game of the set: impressive stuff.
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First set: *Williams 6-5 Kuznetsova (* denotes server)
Stats so far show familiar reading for Serena: she leads in winners (23-9) and unforced errors (10-4). We resume action just over 30 minutes after the last point, Serena is soon out to a 30-0 lead and another ace - that’s nine for the match - brings us to 40-15. A mishit return from Kuznetsova sets up the game winner for Serena. The Russian now serves to stay in the set.
The players are back out under that weird fluorescent-daylight light under the Wimbledon roof. We’ll have a five-minute warm-up, which the players get as this counts as a change of conditions due to the match now effectively being indoors. As a reminder it’s 5-5 in the first set.
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And the roof is now closing: the players should be out again in around 10 minutes.
And we’re off for rain - the court hasn’t been covered which makes me think the break won’t be too long.
First set: Williams 5-5 Kuznetsova* (*denotes server)
The umpire increases the tension as she checks out the court. But the rain seems to have stopped and after a few minutes to let the court dry a little we continue - both players seem happy with the decision. Kuznetsova serves for the set and comes back from 0-15 with a forehand down the line. But some weak shots from the Russian - who isn’t the best at pressing home the advantage - allows Serena to break back. The rain is back too: the court is wet enough for a ballboy to take a tumble as he races round the baseline.
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First set: *Williams 4-5 Kuznetsova (*denotes server)
We so often see Serena have a mental slip before roaring back to win. But against an experienced opponent like Kuznetsova that could be tougher. That’s assuming this match goes deep, of course. The ball hits the net cord and flops out to bring up break point, which the Russian wins after an ill-advised drop shot from Serena. The American did slip though - and the court is getting damp as a few drops of rain fall.
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First set: Williams 4-4 Kuznetsova* (*denotes server)
Over-rule - that Serena challenges on a forehand that is called good for Kuznetsova. But the umpire was correct - and the Russian is now flying at 40-0 up. A long forehand from Serena and Kuznetsova takes the game to love.
First set: *Williams 4-3 Kuznetsova (*denotes server)
You don’t want to make Serena angry ... she’s up 40-0 in double-quick time and an ace seals the game to love.
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First set: Williams 3-3 Kuznetsova* (*denotes server)
Now we see how Serena reacts to that setback. Serena has made nine unforced errors to Kuznetsova’s three so far this match. She chases down a not-quite-deep enough forehand to make it 15-30 but slips on the next point and we’re at 30-30. But Kuznetsova holds - a valuable one too after breaking Serena.
First set: *Williams 3-2 Kuznetsova (*denotes server)
A bit of confidence for Kuznetsova, winning a point at the net for the first time in the match. She has a glimmer of hope at 30-40, after a chopped forehand following a good defensive rally but Serena’s sixth ace of the match takes us to deuce. A big sneeze from the crowd disrupts Serena as she serves for the game and Kuznetsova moves her around the court - once the serve is delivered - to keep her in the game. A tired backhand then gives the Russian another break point but Serena saves again. In fact, there are five break points to save for Serena in this game before she gives up the advantage with a double fault and a dumped forehand into the net. Serena looked like she was going to run away with this match but that game could well have changed the momentum.
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First set: Williams 3-1 Kuznetsova* (*denotes server)
Serena starts the game as powerfully as she ended the last one with a withering backhand that’s too good for Kuznetsova. If that’s wasn’t tough enough for the Russian, she is still horribly off-rhythm with her serve and Serena rockets a return off a second serve to bring up two break points at 15-40. Kuznetova gives it up at the first attempt - this could be over quickly.
First set: *Williams 2-1 Kuznetsova (*denotes server)
In contrast to her opponent, Serena is firing down the aces. Her fourth in two games makes it 40-0 and her fifth makes it 2-1 in the first. Sorry there aren’t more details on that game: Serena’s brilliant serving made it go pretty quickly.
First set: Williams 1-1 Kuznetsova* (*denotes server)
Kuznetsova’s turn to test out her serve. Like Serena, she serves up a double fault to give Serena an opening at 15-30 and Serena brings up break point with a thumping backhand but it’s saved after the American sends a return long. Kuznetova’s serve is definitely a little off rhythm early in this match - she has already sent a few way too long before she blows advantage with her second double fault. But some wafted forehands from Serena level the match.
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First set: *Williams 1-0 Kuznetsova (*denotes server)
In other US news, Simona Halep has just beaten Serena’s compatriot Madison Keys in three sets. Our main cast our out on court now though for their first meeting on grass. Serena will serve first but it is the Russian who draws first blood chasing down a dropshot. She can’t be that tired after yesterday’s marathon win. A choppy start for Serena who mixes up a double fault with some aces but she takes the first game after a strong forehand.
According to the WTA site, Kuznetsova’s best memories are “winning 2004 US Open final and 2009 Roland Garros final.” Funny that.
Kuznetsova played another American in the previous round, needing all her wile and experience to see off Sloane Stephens in an energy sapping 6-7, 6-2, 8-6 win. Those efforts could count against her today, and grass is her least favourite surface.
Serena is now coming up to a year since her last grand slam title, at last year’s Wimbledon. That’s a little shorter than Kuznetsova’s last major: she won the French Open in 2009 (and the 2004 US Open as a 19-year-old) ... although I imagine that’s still more recent than the last time you won a major (it’s a whole 16 years since I won my last one).
So Serena aims for her 9,876,634th (seventh) Wimbledon title this week, and standing in the way of a quarter-final appearance today is the world No14, Svetlana Kuznetsova. Don’t expect a walkover though, Kuznetsova has a pretty good record against Serena, winning three of their 12 meetings (against Serena, this counts as a good record). Indeed, the Russian has already beaten Serena this year - in the last 16 at Miami. Serena leads the series at grand slams 2-1.
Tom will be here shortly, in the meantime you can follow the latest news from Wimbledon here:
