Serena Williams loses to Ana Ivanovic in Australian Open
Serena Williams went out of the Australian Open as a back injury hindered the five-time champion against a rampant Ana Ivanovic.
The Serb came back from a set down to win 4-6 6-3 6-3 - her first ever victory over Williams in five attempts.
There had been reports before the match that Williams had a back problem, and so it proved.
"I almost pulled out. I'm such a competitor, I probably should have," said the world number one.
"I don't want to blame anything. I feel like Ana deserves all the credit. I feel she played unbelievable today. I think she went for her shots."
Williams revealed that she did not know the exact nature of her injury but had been dealing with it for "a few days".
She added: "It's not anything that's life threatening or anything. I feel like it will get better. I just need a couple days off.
"Unfortunately I don't have that in a Grand Slam."
The reigning French and US Open champion had been tipped by some to complete the Grand Slam of all four major titles in 2014.
"I have given up on that a long time ago," said the 32-year-old. "I feel like I don't even think about winning four in a row.
"Maybe I can win four in a row, but it seems like in the one year it's kind of difficult for me for whatever reason."
Ivanovic, 26, goes on to face Canada's Eugenie Bouchard or Casey Dellacqua of Australia in the last eight.
"It's amazing," said the 14th seed. "Honestly, I went on the court and I just wanted to play the best I could. I'm so thrilled."
Ana Ivanovic“"It's not easy playing such a champion, but she's also just a human and I know she has lots of pressure too”
Ivanovic is a former world number one and 2008 French Open champion, but since then she has reached just one major quarter-final at the 2012 US Open.
A 0-4 record against Williams gave little cause for optimism either, but from the outset Ivanovic was able to threaten the American's usually impregnable serve.
The Serb fashioned four break points in the opening set, converting one, but was broken twice as Williams edged it.
Ivanovic took over from that point, her once fragile serve holding up well as Williams appeared to struggle with her movement, and she did not face another break point.
Williams was warned for a time violation when serving to stay in the contest and managed to save two match points , but Ivanovic closed it out nervelessly with a love hold after one hour and 56 minutes.
"I was very consistent," added Ivanovic.
"It's not easy playing such a champion, but she's also just a human and I know she has lots of pressure too.
"I just went out there swinging and I think I did that really well."
Ivanovic upsets Serena at Australian Open
By Martin PARRY (AFP)
Melbourne — Former world number one Ana Ivanovic pulled off a massive upset by beating top seed Serena Williams on Sunday to power into the Australian Open quarter-finals.
The Serb came from a set down to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, ending Williams' bid to match Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova with 18 Grand Slam titles.
Williams, who was gunning for a sixth Australian crown, did not appear to be moving freely with unconfirmed reports that she was carrying an injury.
She pulled out of the doubles on Friday, although that was blamed on an injury to sister Venus.
It was a major scalp for Ivanovic, 26, and set up a last-eight clash against either Canadian teenager Eugenie Bouchard or local hope Casey Dellacqua.
"It's amazing, I just wanted to play the best I could," said Ivanovic. "I'm so thrilled that I played so well. I was very consistent and I'm happy about that."
Since winning at Roland Garros in 2008, Ivanovic, ranked 14, has only made a Grand Slam quarter-final once before, at the 2012 US Open.
But under new coach Nemanja Kontic, the Serb has been thriving and came into Melbourne on the back of winning her 12th career title in Auckland.
She ground down Williams with her sizzling groundstrokes for her first win against the American in five encounters.
Despite the shock loss, Williams set a new record by appearing in her 70th match at the Australian Open, surpassing the previous record held by Lindsay Davenport.
Williams, 32, started with two double faults, helping Ivanovic to three break point chances, but the world number one saved them all and regrouped to win the game.
The serve of Ivanovic lacked the power of her opponent but she mixed it up enough to hold.
Williams blasted through her next service game and Ivanovic who has family in Melbourne and is popular with Australian fans, earning her the nickname "Aussie Ana", rallied from two points down in the next to hold.
The Serb was moving well and a cross-court forehand gave her a break point on the next Williams serve and she grabbed the chance, with the American sending a backhand into the net.
But her advantage didn't last long with a poor service game allowing Williams to level.
The cool Williams held serve to be 4-3 in front, yelling her first "C'mon!" as she pumped herself up.
Ivanovic took it to 4-4 and Williams' lightning fast serves saw her hold before she turned up the heat and took the set on her second break point.
The second set went to serve until the fifth game when Ivanovic worked her way to two break points. Williams saved one with a towering serve but she lost the other, failing to bury a forehand into an open court.
The Serb had another two break points in the seventh game as Williams came under increasing pressure, but she rose to the occasion, once again saving.
For the third Williams serve in a row, Ivanovic worked her way to break points and while the American again saved two, she couldn't stop a raking forehand winner on the third.
Williams was being worn down and the Serb scored a big break to go 2-0 in front in the third set and then held serve to take control.
The despondent American was broken again to go 4-1 and while she saved one match point in the eighth, Ivanovic served to love for a famous win.
Copyright © 2014 AFP. All rights reserved.
Sources:- http://www.bbc.com
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