Aimee
WIMBLEDON, England – Alize Cornet sent Serena Williams tumbling out of Wimbledon’s third round on Saturday, beating the five-time champion 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 on a soggy afternoon.
It was Williams’ earliest loss at Wimbledon since she exited in the same round in 2005.
“I cannot believe it that I did it myself,” Cornet said to BBC TV shortly after kissing the grass on Court 1. “Wow, me!”
Cornet, the 25th seed from France, could barely find her legs when the players returned from a several-hour rain delay locked at 1-1, 40/40.
No. 1 Williams rolled off the next five games.
But the emotive Frenchwoman, her belief growing with every stroke, fired away on returns and groundstokes and mixed in the occasional short ball as an agitated Williams failed to find the form that has earned her 17 Grand Slam titles.
In the next two sets, the 32-year-old American fell behind 5-0 and 5-2, looking tentative and passive and failing to employ the ferocity and power that have marked her career.
