Wimbledon 2011: Serena Williams Defeated by Marion Bartoli

Tennis Now

Wimbledon's defending champion and four-time title holder Serena Williams fell on Monday to the 2007 runner-up Marion Bartoli 6-3, 7-6 (6).

Bartoli took an early break and had a 4-2 lead. The second set followed with a neck and neck scoreline, however, Williams continued to look out of form.

When it looked like it would be over, the seventh seed broke back on the French player after saving four match points in intense rallies to enter in a tiebreaker. 

The final set was a long 70 minutes alone, but the ninth seed took five match points to take out the American at 8-6 in the tiebreak, who recently came back after a year hiatus for this tournament. 

Bartoli described the round of 16 win as the best of her career, after losing Williams twice before.

“Definitely the highest win of my career,” Marion said post match. “It’s a dream come true.”

Bartoli described Williams to the Associated Press as being, "one of the greatest champions in women’s tennis."

Williams currently holds 2060 points and was defending 2000. This loss will cause her to suffer a large blow in the rankings for the top American, who is currently ranked as 25 in the World. 

This marks Serena’s earliest departure since she lost in the third round in 2005.

Bartoli had ten aces to Williams' eight, but the loser had 29 winners and only one double fault, compared to the victor's 21 winners and five double faults.

Williams failed to break four of five opportunities on her opponent's serve that won 80 percent of the time. 

The day was rounded out by a triple upset when Caroline Wozniacki and Venus Williams followed Serena in losses.

Who's Wimbledon will it be?

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