LONDON (AP) — Three of the remaining 16 women at Wimbledon have played in a final at the All England Club. One of them is certain to be eliminated in the fourth round.
Angelique Kerber and Garbine Muguzura, major champions from different Grand Slam tournaments, both lost to Serena Williams in the Wimbledon final the last two years — Kerber in 2016, Muguruza in 2015. They meet Monday for a spot in the quarterfinals.
“The last time I think I played here, I lost the match, so …,” Kerber said Saturday before trailing off.
The top-ranked German was correct, though. Kerber lost to Muguruza in three sets in 2015, one of four straight losses to the Spaniard.
“I think I have to play from the first point good tennis against her,” Kerber said. “I have to be aggressive, as well, and trying to (play) my game from the first ball that we hit.”
The other player with experience in the final at the grass-court major has tons of it: Venus Williams.
She has won five Wimbledon titles and lost in another three finals. She reached the semifinals last year and is playing at the tournament for the 20th time.
Williams is the oldest player left in the women’s draw at 37. On Monday, she will play the youngest, 19-year-old Ana Konjuh of Croatia.
“Yeah, it’s interesting, for sure,” Williams said. “But I guess when you walk on the court, I don’t think either of us is thinking about the age. You’re thinking about, ‘How do I win?'”
In other fourth-round matches, all on Monday, former No. 1 Victoria Azarenka will play second-seeded Simona Halep and sixth-seeded Johanna Konta will face Caroline Garcia. Konta has become the latest hope at the All England Club. The last British woman to win Wimbledon was Virginia Wade in 1977.
Kerber and Muguruza had their chances to win the last two years, but they ran into Serena Williams. That can’t happen this year — the defending champion is pregnant and taking the rest of the season off.
“I have toughest rounds to come. I’m just looking forward for it,” said Muguruza, who won the French Open last year. “I’m not thinking that far, like most people do.
“For me, it’s just more simple than that. I’m just going to take care of my next match and we see from there. It’s just like that.”
That next opponent is the No. 1 player in the world — even if Kerber has been struggling at the major tournaments this season after winning the Australian Open and U.S. Open last year.
On Saturday, she had a tough time early and was stretched to three sets in her 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4 win over American Shelby Rogers.
“It was for sure a really important win for me today, especially because it was a really up-and-down match, and I was down at least 2-4 in the second set,” Kerber said. “Maybe it is a turnaround. We will see.”
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