Grand Slam champions take contrasting routes
Wimbledon, England — Defending champion Novak Djokovic won under the lights Wednesday at Wimbledon, beating American Ryan Harrison 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in the final match of the day.
With the schedule delayed because of afternoon rain, Djokovic and Harrison played under the retractable roof on Centre Court and finished their second-round match at 9:52 p.m.
The top-seeded Djokovic lost only four points on his second serve and saved all six break points he faced. He has won three of the past four Grand Slam titles but was beaten this month in the French Open final by Rafael Nadal.
“We went the distance,” Djokovic said. “I’m honored to be in a position to play on the most recognized Centre Court worldwide in our sport.”
Former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki lost under the roof to Tamira Paszek, who saved two match points in the second set and won 5-7, 7-6 (4), 6-4.
Stosur, Li ousted
Other Grand Slam champions advancing included Kim Clijsters and Andy Roddick, while 2011 U.S. Open champion Samantha Stosur and 2011 French Open champion Li Na lost.
More than a dozen matches on outside courts were postponed late Wednesday.
Sharapova wins
Top-ranked Maria Sharapova led 7-6 (3), 3-1 when her second-round match against Tsvetana Pironkova was suspended because of darkness. Sharapova saved five set points in the first set.
Sloane Stephens, a 19-year-old American playing at Wimbledon for the first time, saved five set points in the first set and beat No. 23 Petra Cetkovska 7-6 (6), 4-6, 6-3.
In the final set, Stephens trailed love-30 in four consecutive service games, yet won them all.
Stephens is coming off her first run to the fourth round at a Grand Slam tournament, which happened this month at the French Open.
No. 21-seeded Milos Raonic required only one game to complete a rain-interrupted first-round win over Santiago Giraldo, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. No. 7 David Ferrer reached the second round by beating Dustin Brown 7-6 (5), 6-4, 6-4.
Three-time Wimbledon runner-up Roddick needed three hours over two days to complete a first-round win over British wild card Jamie Baker, 7-6 (1), 6-4, 7-5.
Clijsters, a four-time major champion playing Wimbledon for the final time, advanced to the third round by beating Andrea Hlavackova 6-3, 6-3.
The No. 5-seeded Stosur fell to 6-10 at Wimbledon when she was upset by 72nd-ranked Arantxa Rus 6-2, 0-6, 6-4. Her elimination meant that for the first time since 1939, no Australian man or woman reached the third round at Wimbledon.
Li, seeded 11th, lost to Sorana Cirstea 6-3, 6-4, and No. 13 Dominika Cibulkova was beaten by Klara Zakopalova 6-4, 6-1. Former No. 1 Ana Ivanovic defeated Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
Serena eases through
Last night, four-time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams moved into the third round with an overpowering serving performance, hitting 10 aces in a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Hungarian qualifier Melinda Czink.
Williams won 37 of 44 points while serving, including 27 of 28 on first serves, and never faced a break point.
Sara Errani committed only five unforced errors Thursday in beating Anne Keothavong of Britain 6-1, 6-1 at Wimbledon. /AP
