BIRMINGHAM, England — Venus Williams couldn’t trigger a fair greater shock on the Birmingham Classic.
The 43-year-old American, now ranked No. 697, misplaced 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 to second-seeded Jelena Ostapenko on Thursday within the second spherical of the grass-court event that's serving as a warmup for Wimbledon.
On Monday, Williams defeated Forty eighth-ranked Camile Giorgi for a primary victory over a participant within the prime 50 in almost 4 years. She has simply returned after six months out with a hamstring damage sustained in Auckland within the first week of the 12 months.
Williams, who performed with strapping round her proper knee in opposition to Ostapenko, acquired an off-court medical timeout when at 2-2 within the second set. She appeared uncomfortable when she returned to the grass however continued to play, combating for each level and even saving a match level at 5-3 earlier than recovering to win 4 video games in a row and take it to a decider.
By the top of a 44-minute third set, Williams’ mobility was restricted and Ostapenko sealed victory with a forehand down the road.
A seven-time Grand Slam champion and five-time winner of the Wimbledon singles, Williams was this week granted a wild card by the All England Club for this 12 months’s championships and he or she has justified it.
Top-seeded Barbora Krejcikova earlier maintained her assured progress by reaching the quarterfinals with a straight-set win over fellow Czech participant Tereza Martincova.
With the 6-4, 6-4 victory, Krejcikova has but to drop a set on the event.
The No. 12-ranked Krejcikova received her first-round match 6-3, 6-3 in opposition to Cristina Bucsa.
Eighth-seeded Sorana Cirstea of Romania was overwhelmed 6-3, 6-7 (1), 6-4 by Magdalena Frech of Poland, and Rebecca Marino of Canada defeated A hundred and fiftieth-ranked American participant Emina Bektas 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (1).
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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