Wimbledon 2015: Sharapova-Vandeweghe QF Preview
One of the quarterfinal matches in women’s singles will mark the first meeting on professional tour between Russian Maria Sharapova and American Coco Vandeweghe. The duo will square off at Centre Court to determine who will further advance in the semifinals of the third grand slam event of the current tennis season.
Sharapova eased past Kazakhstan’s Zarina Diyas 6-4 6-4 in the fourth round on Monday. The Russian, who won the 2004 Wimbledon, needed one hour and 37 minutes to clinch a spot in the last eight. Sharapova has not dropped a set in the tournament, reeling off with straight-sets victories in the early rounds. The fourth-seeded Russian is bidding to win her second title at the All England Club.
“I think I've worked through a few different opponents, different conditions, as well, a few different courts,” Sharapova said. “I put myself in different situations, yet been able to close out the matches in two sets, that's a positive in these last eight days.”
The unseeded American has played brilliant tennis in the previous days, as she dismissed the tournament’s top seeds including 11th seed Karolina Pliskova 7-6 6-4 in the second round, Australian 22nd seed Sam Stosur 6-2 6-0 in the third round, and just recently, third seed Lucie Safarova 7-6 7-6 in the fourth round. Like Sharapova, Vandeweghe has won all her matches in the tournament in straight sets, winning three sets out of the total eight in tiebreaks.
Vandeweghe has never made it to the quarterfinals of a grand slam tournament until now. Making it to the last eight is the best performance that the American has accomplished not only at the All England Club since making her debut in 2011, but also in all the other grand slam tennis events. She has never gone past the third round of a grand slam tournament, which she accomplished at the Australian Open in January.
Sharapova will face Vandeweghe in the quarterfinals, their first meeting on professional tour. Both players are at par in terms of the winning percentage in their first serve points. Sharapova has a winning percentage of 72 compared to Vandeweghe’s 73 percent. In their second serve points, Sharapova and Vandeweghe have winning percentages of 29 and 55, respectively. Many are rooting for Sharapova to win the match, but Vandeweghe has got what it takes to give the Russian a tough match, given her performance in the tournament.
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