www.dailypostathenian.com B10 | DAILY POST-ATHENIAN SPORTS | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 2021 Serena Williams injured, out of Wimbledon FOUR-BALL: BY CHRIS LEHOURITES AP Sports Writer Duo takes WIMBLEDON, England — Serena Williams bit her champions upper lip. She held her left hand over her mouth and tried to hold back tears while getting ready to serve. to playo It was the first set of her FROM B1 first-round match Tuesday at Wimbledon, and Wil- it will give us some steam liams knew this stay at a and some fire going into tournament where she has next year.” won seven of her 23 Grand Taking the eventual title Slam singles titles was team to the playoff holes is about to end because she something Houk and Pur- injured her left leg when year can build on for next she lost her footing behind year’s Four-Ball Champi- a baseline. onship — especially since Moments later, her legs Puryear mentioned their buckled as she tried to change directions to chase a shot by her opponent, ‘And we made 100th-ranked Aliaksan- dra Sasnovich of Belarus. good shots, Williams dropped to her knees, her head down on the but we couldn’t grass. She used her racket to help her stand, but only get a putt to go in so she could limp to the net to concede — just the sec- KIRSTY WIGGLESWORTH | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS that last match.’ ond mid-match retirement Serena Williams falls to the ground during the women’s singles first round match against Aliaksandra Sasnovich, of Belarus, dur- at any Grand Slam tourna- ing the Wimbledon Tennis Championships on Tuesday in London. Cade Puryear ment of her career and first since 1998. they walked together up time major champ Naomi fell. He tried to continue Krejcikova and No. 1 seed “She’s a great champion,” to the net; the score was Osaka withdrew before the but dropped eight of nine Ash Barty in the women’s semifinal performance was Sasnovich said, “and it’s (a) 3-all, 15-30 when Williams tournament started. points when they resumed bracket, and No. 2 Dani- not their best. sad story.” stopped. And so, even as her 40th and called it quits. il Medvedev, No. 4 Alex- “We didn’t play as good as Roger Federer sure- Williams, who began the birthday approaches in “Obviously,” Federer ander Zverev and No. 10 we had the days before that, ly articulated a common match with her right thigh September, Williams was acknowledged, “he was Denis Shapovalov in the but Jack and Ryan played sentiment when told by a heavily taped, raised her among the top contenders. the better player.” men’s. great golf and always made reporter what happened to racket with right arm and With her best-in-the-game Novak Djokovic fell Sebastian Korda — a a birdie or par when they Williams. put her left palm on her serve and stinging ground- twice in the first set of his 20-year-old American had to,” Puryear said. “And “Oh, my God,” he said. “I chest. Then she waved to strokes, she had made it to first-round victory Mon- whose father, Petr, won the we made good shots, but can’t believe it.” the spectators. the past four finals when day at Centre Court, too. 1998 Australian Open and we couldn’t get a putt to Williams was serving Officially, this goes in the she entered Wimbledon — “I do feel it feels a tad whose sisters, No. 1-ranked go in that last match. And while leading 3-1 at Centre books as only the second winning in 2015 and 2016, more slippery, maybe, Nelly and No. 13 Jessica, we knew with the two play- Court — where the retract- first-round Grand Slam missing the tournament under the roof. I don’t are on the LPGA Tour — off holes being driver and able roof was shut because exit of Williams’ career. while pregnant in 2017, then know if it’s just a gut feel- made a successful Wim- wedge we had to make a of rain that forced the post- The other came at the finishing as the runner-up ing. You do have to move bledon debut, eliminating birdie, and we just came ponement of two dozen 2012 French Open, where in 2018 and 2019 (it was can- very, very carefully out No. 15 seed Alex de Minaur up a little short at the end.” matches until Wednes- she was beaten by Virgin- celed last year because of there. If you push too hard 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5). When they play this event day — when her left shoe ie Razzano. Shortly after the pandemic). in the wrong moments, Venus Williams accumu- next year, Houk and Pur- seemed to lose its traction that, Williams teamed up Williams was hardly the you do go down,” Feder- lated 10 aces by smacking year will be aiming for the while she was hitting a fore- with coach Patrick Mou- first player to find it dif- er said. “I do feel it’s drier serves at up to 114 mph — championship after know- hand. ratoglou and began accu- ficult to deal with the slick during the day. With the not quite like the old days, ing how close they got. Williams winced and mulating majors to eclipse grass over the first two days wind and all that stuff, it but not too shabby, either. “It’ll give us a lot of fire stepped gingerly between Steffi Graf’s professional of main-draw play. takes the moist out of the She drove forehands to going into next year, espe- points, clearly troubled. era record of 22 and move In the match that pre- grass. But this is obviously corners. She made her way cially knowing that the team After dropping that game, within one of Margaret ceded hers in the main terrible.” to the net for crisp volleys. that beat us won the cham- she asked to visit with a Court’s all-era mark of 24. stadium, eight-time Wim- It was, by far, the most And when it was all over, pionship,” Houk said. “And trainer and took a medical “All the best for her,” said bledon champion Federer significant development she celebrated her first knowing that we could’ve timeout. Sasnovich, who reached the advanced when his oppo- Tuesday, when the win- Wimbledon match win played better than we did, She tried to contin- fourth round at Wimbledon nent, Adrian Mannarino, ners included Williams’ since 2018 by raising her and come out with it for ue playing. The crowd in 2018 for her best Grand hurt his right leg late in the older sister, 41-year-old arms and yelling “Come sure.” tried to offer support and Slam result. fourth set when he tumbled Venus, 17-year-old Coco on!” before reprising her encouragement. Eventu- Williams’ departure near the same spot Williams Gauff, reigning French familiar smile-and-twirl EMAIL: gabriel.garcia@ ally, the 39-year-old Amer- makes a wide-open wom- did. Open champion Barbora wave at No. 3 Court. dailypostathenian.com ican couldn’t continue. en’s draw even more so. As Federer was trailing two The chair umpire climbed it was, defending champi- sets to one, but ahead 4-2 in down to check on her, and on Simona Halep and four- the fourth, when Mannarino S1 E Z L U Z is the permanent, P K clog-free gutter solution!* BOO Subscriber Exclusive Coming Friday July 2nd 16 YEARS BACKED BY THESEAL Sudoku Several Puzzles to Challenge your brain 123 456 78910 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Crossword 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 $99 42 43 44 45 Puzzles 46 47 48 INSTALLATION FR 49 50 51 Medium Skill &Advanced FORALIMITEDTIME PLUS GIFT CARD ON ACOMPLETE WITH IN-HOME LEAFGUARD SYSTEM!† ESTIMATE!** Cryptograms Intermediate & 423-443-3237 Advanced $2.00 will be deducted from your subscription for this premium CALL TODAYFOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE! content. Subscribers have the option to decline receiving this content and avoid the deduction by calling (423) 745-5664 •THE ONLY ONE-PIECE SEAMLESS DEBRIS SHEDDING GUTTERSYSTEM •MADE ONSITE SPECIFICALLYFOR YOUR HOME •SCRATCHGUARD® PAINT FINISH Nota •LIFETIME NO-CLOG WARRANTY †Does not include material costs. Expires 06/30/2021. **Consumer Disclosure/Award Rules: All participants who attend an subscriber estimated 60-90 minute in-home product consultation will receive a $50 gift card. Retail value is $50. Offer sponsored by Englert LeafGuard. Limit one per household. Company procures, sells, and installs seamless gutter protection. This offer is valid but would liketoreceivethe for homeowners over 18 years of age. If married or involved with a life partner, both cohabitating persons must attend and puzzle book? complete presentation together. Participants must have a photo ID, be able to understand English, and be legally able to enter into a contract. The following persons are not eligible for this offer: employees of Company or affiliated companies or Call (423) 745-5664 to entities, their immediate family members, previous participants in a Company in-home consultation within the past 12 startyour months and all current and former Company customers. Gift may not be extended, transferred, or substituted except that Company may substitute a gift of equal or greater value if it deems it necessary. Gift card will be mailed to the subscription today! participant via first class United States Mail within 10 days of receipt of promotion form.