Tennis

Ex-Gator sends Serena Williams home

By wire services
Published June 26, 2005

WIMBLEDON, England - Jill Craybas was running out of light, but, for a change, she was not running out of confidence. The global star across the net was Serena Williams, the same powerful, intimidating champion who had defeated her, 6-0, 6-1, in well under an hour when they last played, in 2004.

But this time, in the third round at Wimbledon of all places, Craybas was feeling nothing but calm as she chased down Williams's increasingly desperate shots in the encroaching darkness that was frequently punctuated by flashes of light from cameras.

The match was supposed to have been played on Center Court, but when the earlier matches stretched on too long, it had to be moved to the much more intimate Court 2. Craybas was initially disappointed. "That's what everyone dreams of," she said. "Playing Wimbledon Center Court."

It never crossed her mind that where they were heading was "the Graveyard Court," the site of several major upsets over the years. But Craybas was about to add another thick layer of meaning to that nickname by beating Williams, a two-time Wimbledon champion 6-3, 7-6 (4).

"Previously, when I played her, when I saw her across the court, I was probably thinking to myself: "Oh my God. I'm playing the No. 1 player in the world,"' said Craybas, a small but remarkably fit 30-year-old American with a world ranking of 85. "Today, I just felt like we were equals, and I think that made a big difference."

It was Williams' earliest exit in a Grand Slam event since she lost in the third round of the French Open in 1999.

Craybas landed 66 percent of her first serves. But Williams, who refused to use her injured left ankle as an excuse, had the larger role in the outcome.

"I'm just used to winning these kind of matches," Williams said afterward. "It's just hard when you go out there and you can't make a shot, and you've been making them for years. It's like - it's a battle."

Williams departed hours after her older sister advanced to the fourth round by beating Daniela Hantuchova 7-5, 6-3. Venus will next play Craybas, who arrived at Wimbledon with a career record of 7-23 in Grand Slam tournaments. They will play on Court 2.

Other women's winners included Lindsay Davenport, Kim Clijsters and Maria Sharapova. None lost a set.

Two-time defending champion Roger Federer and 2004 runner-up Andy Roddick advanced in men's play.

Federer, accustomed to hitting improbable winners at Wimbledon, came up with a shot on the run that amazed even him. The top-ranked Swiss delivered a feathery, crosscourt backhand in the final game and beat Nicolas Kiefer, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-1, 7-5.

"A beautiful shot," Federer said. "I hit it, and once I looked it was already on the other side of the net."

Federer hit three aces in the final game to go with the picturesque backhand, completing his 32nd consecutive victory on grass and 17th in a row at the All England Club.

Federer will next play 2003 French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Second-seeded Roddick, who lost to Federer in last year's final, held every service game and beat Igor Andreev 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (4).

"Mission accomplished for the first week," said Roddick.

Roddick's opponent in the fourth round will be No. 15 Guillermo Coria.

No. 18 David Nalbandian ended 18-year-old Scotsman Andrew Murray's surprising. Murray was the lone remaining player from Britain, which last crowned a men's champion in 1936.

Top-ranked Davenport routed Dinara Safina 6-2, 6-1 and next plays four-time Grand Slam runner-up Clijsters.

Victories by Sharapova and Nadia Petrova gave Russia six women in the final 16. Defending champion Sharapova eliminated Katarina Srebotnik 6-2, 6-4. No. 8-seeded Petrova beat wild card Cara Black 6-4, 6-3.

French Open runner-up Mary Pierce, playing at Wimbledon for the 10th time, defeated 17-year-old Ana Ivanovic 6-1, 6-4.

[Last modified June 26, 2005, 00:35:07]