Abby Brammell

By Neil Moxley

Day in the sun: The impeccable Tsvetana Pironkova punished an error-prone Venus Williams


For the second day in succession, Venus Williams lost her bear ings around Wimbledon.

Unlike on Monday, this time it proved fatal.

While the five-time champion emerged nothing more than disorientated by the unfamiliar surroundings on Court No 2, she was left dizzy from defeat yesterday as Tsvetana Pironkova caused the upset of the Championships so far.

The No 2 seed had been left to fend for herself ahead of her fourth round match, failing to grasp that she would not be escorted to an outside show court.

That almost led to her forfeiting her place in the tournament after she arrived five minutes late.

But on Court No 1 she really did fail to turn up, leaving her normally reliable game on grass behind in the locker room, as the Bulgarian triumphed 6-2, 6-3 to pull off what was easily the best result of her career so far.


Floored: Tsvetana Pironkova is elated after clinching victory


The magnitude of Pironkova’s achievement is underlined by the statistics. In the past decade, Venus has lifted the famous Venus Rosewater dish five times and contested another three finals.

And her Bulgarian opponent, who fell during the qualifiers at Eastbourne to British teenager Heather Watson and hails from a country without a single grass court, was rated at 150-1 to win the Wimbledon title before this quarter-final


Terrible day at the office: Venus Williams


‘The match was over a lot quicker than I thought it would be,’ said the unseeded Pironkova, who also knocked Venus out of the Australian Open fours years ago.

‘Winning 6-2, 6-3 was a big surprise. I expected a longer match. I haven’t played against anyone with a faster serve.

‘But maybe her first-serve percentage wasn’t very good. And I really pushed her a lot. She started very strong but then I guess I resisted.’

There was no real explanation from Venus, other than this was just a bad day at the office. A very bad day, in fact.

‘It was not a good match today,’ said Williams, whose defeat now leaves sister Serena the overwhelming favourite to win the Wimbledon crown.

‘I was in a spiral and just could not hit balls in. I don’t think I did anything right. I didn’t do myself any favours. She played solidly, but I contributed to her effort.

'There were too many unforced errors. If there was a shot to miss, I missed it — forehand, volley, backhand.

‘I just got too caught up in the mistakes I was making instead of letting go and moving on. I expect a lot from myself at this tournament. Maybe I’m a little too hard on myself.

‘But this wasn’t as tough as my fourth round, or my third, or even my second round. I wasn’t overpowered. I just kind of let myself exit.

'Obviously, I’m not pleased with this result but I have to move on. What else can I do? Unless I have a time machine, which I don’t.’

Williams made 29 unforced errors. But just as much as that, it was problems with her serve that led to her downfall.

Time and again she doublefaulted. Indecision during her ballthrowing gave rise to the suspicion that all was not well. She looked forlornly up at her family for inspiration.It never came. Sensing this, Pironkova took her chance.


The toast of Court One: Tsvetana Pironkova won the applause of the watching public


She may be slight in stature at just 10 stone but she fought fire with fire and, by penning her opponent as close to the baseline as possible, engaged her in combat that Williams really did not feel comfortable with.

It was some performance from the 22-year-old who played her first match on grass only five years ago and now faces Vera Zvonareva in tomorrow’s semi-final.

‘I think it was at Roehampton,’ she said, ‘I thought, “Wow, it’s impossible. How can I play on this surface?” But I feel better and better.

‘The last time I beat her I was shocked, you know, at all the attention. But I’ve learned my lesson now.’

Then, asked whether the dominance of the Williams sisters was nearing its end, she replied: ‘They are still doing pretty well, but at one point in the future it will.

'I guess it may be soon.’

For Venus, her interest in the 2010 competition is certainly over. And how.


source: dailymail