The serve has been a signature shot in helping Venus Williams win Wimbledon five times. Sporadic serving and Angelique Kerber's consistent shot making conspired to write Williams right out of the Olympic singles draw today.
A day after the Williams sisters swept Kerber and compatriot Sabine Lisicki in doubles, the seventh-ranked German reversed the result in singles. A strong-willed Kerber staved off three set points in the 10th game and fought back from a 1-5 deficit in the first-set tie breaker to squeeze out a 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5) victory and advance to the quarterfinals of the London Games.
Williams squandered set points in the first set and a 3-1 lead in the second as her serve betrayed her on pivotal points. Even three-time gold medalists aren't immune to tie break pressure as Venus, who repeatedly caught her errant toss on a breezy day, committed three of her seven double faults in the breakers.
Fresh off her second major semifinal at Wimbledon last month, Kerber broke at 15 to open. Williams raked a backhand return winner down the line — her most reliable weapon of the match — to break back at love and forge a 4-4 deadlock. Venus crushed a forehand winner to earn double-set point in the 10th game, but Kerber saved the first with a serve winner and the second when Williams' backhand return expired in the net. The sturdy German saved a third set point, eventually holding for 5-5.
The left-handed Kerber's anticipation, consistency, quick court coverage and skill at changing direction all play well on grass — she owns a 13-2 grass-court record this season — and ultimately Kerber played cleaner tennis on pressure points. Williams committed twice as many errors (36 to 18) as her opponent. A hideous, four-error game from Venus saw her donate a love break, but she broke right back to force the tie breaker.
The former No. 1 gained a seemingly secure 5-1 lead in the breaker, but Venus netted her fourth double fault, Kerber followed with successive winners and suddenly it was 5-5. A point after she hooked a forehand winner crosscourt, Kerber surprised Williams with a flatter forehand down the line for set point. Williams' serve set up an easy sitter, but she ran through the shot, badly bungling a forehand that sailed long as Kerber collected the 52-minute first set.
Breaking to start the second set, Williams dropped only one point in her next two service games to lead 3-1, but a double fault and an errant forehand enabled Kerber to break back. Kerber, who out-aced Williams, hit two of her four aces and saved a break point to hold for 5-4. Williams won 15 of 16 net points in her second-round win, but was sometimes reluctant to attack today, perhaps out of respect for Kerber's capacity to strike accurately on the run.
At 4-4 in the breaker, Kerber pulled off the shot of the match. Adjusting beautifully to a let cord, Kerber made a great get and flicked a running forehand winner down the line for a 5-4 lead. Venus followed with her seventh double fault. Two points later, Kerber hooked a slice serve to seal the one hour, 49-minute win and set up a quarterfinal clash with No. 1 Victoria Azarenka.