Serena Williams came into the Australian Open being linked to the possibility of winning a calendar Grand Slam, but that was left blowing in the wind thanks to a sensational upset delivered by Ana Ivanovic.
The Rod Laver Arena was in tumult as the popular Serb came back to win 4-6 6-3 6-3, rediscovering form that saw her win the French Open in 2008 but has proved elusive ever since.
For the second year in succession Williams, now 32, has imploded in the season’s opening Grand Slam after coming in as the heavy favourite.
Stunning win: Ana Ivanovic shocked Serena Williams in three sets to make the Australian Open quarter-finals
Elation: A delighted Ivanovic celebrates her success over the top seed
All smiles: A happy looking Ivanovic played superbly to get over the line
Super strength: Williams hammers a serve over the net with her perfect technique
Twelve months ago she lost in the quarter finals to compatriot Sloane Stephens, and now she has gone down to a player whose best tennis seemed behind her.
After the reaching the final here six years ago and then winning at Roland Garros, Ivanovic, 26, has been floundering among the bridesmaids, in the last five years her ranking sticking largely between 10 and 25 with a succession of coaches failing to inspire her.
But she had been hitting the ball notably sweetly this week, and from the start the world number one, who had a match record of 78-4 in 2013, seemed a step slow, and her backhand was especially wayward.
Sometimes Williams’s biggest danger seems to be herself, and in this defeat there were shades of her Wimbledon defeat last summer to Sabine Lisicki, also in the fourth round.
Ivanovic said: 'It's amazing, I'm so thrilled. It's not easy playing such a champion. But she's also human and I know she has a lot of pressure. I really went out there swinging.'
There were reports prior to the match that Williams was struggling with a back problem, and the 32-year-old certainly looked out of sorts from the start.
Elegant: The Serb works a forehand back as she looks to get a grip on the match
Stern test: The match turned into a much harder affair than Williams could have dreamed
Toe for toe: Ivanovic gave Williams a really run for her money, especially from the baseline
Ivanovic broke the Williams serve for only the second time in the tournament in the fifth game but then dropped her own serve to love.
And when the Serbian served to stay in the set, Williams pounced, clinching it when Ivanovic netted a forehand.
When Ivanovic won the French Open in 2008, it seemed it would be first of many grand slam titles, but expectation and injuries got the better of the 26-year-old and she has spent the intervening years rebuilding her confidence.
Ivanovic was hugely impressive in beating home favourite Sam Stosur in the third round, and she showed she would not be intimidated by Williams by breaking serve again for 3-2 in the second set and this time cementing it with a service hold.
Twist of the hip: A nice looking backhand from the 14th seed
Picture of emotion: Serena Williams celebrates but couldn't crack Ivanovic
She had more chances to break in Williams' next service game as she used the world number one's power against her to great effect, but this time the American held on.
Ivanovic did not let it affect her, though, and took her third set point with a thumping forehand and a pump of the fist.
She then roared into a 3-0 lead at the start of the third set and it was all Williams could do to hang on.
Ivanovic had her first match point in the eighth game but netted a forehand going for a winner and Williams forced her to serve it out.
Reaching for it: Williams was made to work for every shot against an in-form Ivanovic
That proved no problem, though, Ivanovic bringing up three more match points and taking the first when Williams dumped a forehand long.
Ivanovic put her hands on her head in apparent disbelief as the Rod Laver Arena crowd hailed her achievement while Williams quickly trudged off court.
Ivanovic, a finalist at Melbourne Park as a 20-year-old in 2008, is through to just her second grand slam quarter-final since her French Open triumph and next meets either Australia's Casey Dellacqua or Eugenie Bouchard of Canada.
Worth a challenge... The No 14 seed goes to Hawk Eye to check a line call
Devastated: Williams can't believe her performance as she crashes out
The Rod Laver Arena was in tumult as the popular Serb came back to win 4-6 6-3 6-3, rediscovering form that saw her win the French Open in 2008 but has proved elusive ever since.
For the second year in succession Williams, now 32, has imploded in the season’s opening Grand Slam after coming in as the heavy favourite.
Stunning win: Ana Ivanovic shocked Serena Williams in three sets to make the Australian Open quarter-finals
Elation: A delighted Ivanovic celebrates her success over the top seed
All smiles: A happy looking Ivanovic played superbly to get over the line
Super strength: Williams hammers a serve over the net with her perfect technique
Twelve months ago she lost in the quarter finals to compatriot Sloane Stephens, and now she has gone down to a player whose best tennis seemed behind her.
After the reaching the final here six years ago and then winning at Roland Garros, Ivanovic, 26, has been floundering among the bridesmaids, in the last five years her ranking sticking largely between 10 and 25 with a succession of coaches failing to inspire her.
But she had been hitting the ball notably sweetly this week, and from the start the world number one, who had a match record of 78-4 in 2013, seemed a step slow, and her backhand was especially wayward.
Sometimes Williams’s biggest danger seems to be herself, and in this defeat there were shades of her Wimbledon defeat last summer to Sabine Lisicki, also in the fourth round.
Ivanovic said: 'It's amazing, I'm so thrilled. It's not easy playing such a champion. But she's also human and I know she has a lot of pressure. I really went out there swinging.'
There were reports prior to the match that Williams was struggling with a back problem, and the 32-year-old certainly looked out of sorts from the start.
Elegant: The Serb works a forehand back as she looks to get a grip on the match
Stern test: The match turned into a much harder affair than Williams could have dreamed
Toe for toe: Ivanovic gave Williams a really run for her money, especially from the baseline
Ivanovic broke the Williams serve for only the second time in the tournament in the fifth game but then dropped her own serve to love.
And when the Serbian served to stay in the set, Williams pounced, clinching it when Ivanovic netted a forehand.
When Ivanovic won the French Open in 2008, it seemed it would be first of many grand slam titles, but expectation and injuries got the better of the 26-year-old and she has spent the intervening years rebuilding her confidence.
Ivanovic was hugely impressive in beating home favourite Sam Stosur in the third round, and she showed she would not be intimidated by Williams by breaking serve again for 3-2 in the second set and this time cementing it with a service hold.
Twist of the hip: A nice looking backhand from the 14th seed
Picture of emotion: Serena Williams celebrates but couldn't crack Ivanovic
She had more chances to break in Williams' next service game as she used the world number one's power against her to great effect, but this time the American held on.
Ivanovic did not let it affect her, though, and took her third set point with a thumping forehand and a pump of the fist.
She then roared into a 3-0 lead at the start of the third set and it was all Williams could do to hang on.
Ivanovic had her first match point in the eighth game but netted a forehand going for a winner and Williams forced her to serve it out.
Reaching for it: Williams was made to work for every shot against an in-form Ivanovic
That proved no problem, though, Ivanovic bringing up three more match points and taking the first when Williams dumped a forehand long.
Ivanovic put her hands on her head in apparent disbelief as the Rod Laver Arena crowd hailed her achievement while Williams quickly trudged off court.
Ivanovic, a finalist at Melbourne Park as a 20-year-old in 2008, is through to just her second grand slam quarter-final since her French Open triumph and next meets either Australia's Casey Dellacqua or Eugenie Bouchard of Canada.
Worth a challenge... The No 14 seed goes to Hawk Eye to check a line call
Devastated: Williams can't believe her performance as she crashes out
Post a Comment