04-17-2019, 01:53 AM
LONDON -- For 2 1/2 hours, Venus Williams traded big serves and hard groundstrokes with Petra Kvitova on Centre Court. Cody Eakin Jersey . Williams was playing with some of the power and pace that had brought her five Wimbledon titles. But when it was over, she was left with a sense of disappointment. "The battle is always a little more enjoyable when you win," Williams said Friday after coming within two points of victory but losing 5-7, 7-6 (2), 7-5 to Kvitova, the 2011 champion. All four of their previous meetings went to three sets and this one was no different, with plenty of suspense, intensity, and only a few break points. Williams looked stronger early in the match and was up 5-4, 15-30 on Kvitovas serve, in the second set. But the Czech came up with some big serves, held and won the second set tiebreaker. The players then held serve for the first 11 games of the third set before Kvitova broke No. 30 Williams for the first time in the last game. "Its a shame there had to be a loser in this match and more of a shame that it had to be me," Williams said. Despite the loss, Williams had reasons to feel positive about her week in London. At the age of 34, she has been playing well this season, winning a title in Dubai and reaching the final in Auckland and Miami. This week, she got to the third round at a Grand Slam tournament for only the second time in her past 10 appearances. After her battle with Kvitova, she reiterated that retirement is not in her plans. More than that, Williams still believes in her ability to add to her total of seven Grand Slams. "People have been trying to retire me since I was like 25. For some reason in tennis we always do that to our players. Its weird," said Williams, who disclosed three years ago that she was diagnosed with an energy-sapping autoimmune disease. "We dont encourage them to stick around," she added. "Its like, Get out of here. So Im not getting out of here. I think this year has been a great year for me. Ive had some tough losses, but Ive learned a lot from them. Im finding my way back on my feet. Im proud of myself for what Im achieving on the court." The former No. 1 is next scheduled to play in Cincinnati and Montreal. She said she might add more tournaments to her summer schedule to keep improving her game. "So that way Ill just have a chance, when its really time to play good tennis, I would have had those matches under my belt," she said. Brad Hunt Jersey . However, it wasnt a problem on Monday night. Evgeni Nabokov made 23 saves for his 56th career shutout in the New York Islanders 3-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Monday night. Marc-Andre Fleury Jersey .com) - Robert Martin and Josh Hicks combined for more than 300 yards rushing and three touchdowns, as Rutgers rolled past North Carolina, 40-21, in the Quick Lane Bowl. http://www.officialgoldenknightspro.com/...ts-jersey/ .Y. - Urijah Faber walked out on a Madison Square Garden stage in a Wes Welker jersey, the UFCs fun nod to that other "super" show this weekend.Former French Open runner-up Sara Errani upset former Roland Garros titlist Li Na in Fridays quarterfinal action at the $2.6 million Italian Open, a French Open tune-up. The 10th-seeded Italian crowd favorite Errani doused the second-seeded reigning Australian Open titlist Li 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 on the red clay at Foro Italico. This marked Erranis first-ever victory over a top-three player and her first career win against Li in seven tries. A sluggish Li said she got sick less than 20 minutes before the match started. "Before I came to the court I already threw up," she said. "I dont know if its because of the pasta or because the allergies made me sick because everywhere Ive been sneezing this week. Its never stopped. I really have no iddea the reason why I throw up. Jonathan Marchessault Jersey. "Maybe Im sick of pasta," Li joked. "The Chinese stomach is a little bit different." Li was a finalist in Rome two years ago. A milder upset came when sixth-seeded former world No. 1 Jelena Jankovic shut down third-seeded former Wimbledon runner-up Agnieszka Radwanska, of Poland, 6-4, 6-4. The Serbian Jankovic titled here back-to-back in 2007 and 2008 and was the Rome runner-up in 2010. Jankovic will tangle with Errani in the semifinals. Meanwhile on Day 5, another former world No. 1 from Serbia, 11th-seeded former Roland Garros champ Ana Ivanovic, held off 13th-seeded rising Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 to reach the final four in the Italian capital. ' ' '