On Monday, she sent an overhead way beyond the baseline when a winner would have given her two break-back points in the second set.
ERROR-PRONE STAR OUT OF AUSTRALIAN OPEN
BY CAROLINE CHEESE | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MELBOURNE, Australia — It wasn’t just Serena Williams’ serve that was missing Monday at the Australian Open. It was her aura, too.
Ekaterina Makarova, the lowest-ranked player left in the draw at No. 56, didn’t seem the least bit frightened of the error-ridden opponent across the net.
The Russian won 6-2, 6-3 — equaling the biggest Grand Slam defeat of Williams’ 17-year career — and will face Maria Sharapova in her first Grand Slam quarterfinal.
Sharapova rallied past Sabine Lisicki 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 before men’s defending champion Novak Djokovic fended off a resurgent Lleyton Hewitt in a dramatic last match of the day, winning 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
With Hewitt’s loss, Australia’s chances of celebrating a home singles winner were over. American hopes had already evaporated with the defeat of five-time champion Williams — her first in Melbourne since 2008 and earliest since 2006.
“I can’t even describe how I served, to be honest,” said Williams, who finished with seven double-faults and a first-serve percentage of just over 50. “My lefty serve is actually better than that. Maybe I should have started serving lefty.”
Williams also threw in 37 unforced errors, but Makarova played her part, boldly going for the lines and holding steady in a tight service game while leading 4-3 in the second set. Playing Williams in Beijing in 2009, Makarova said she had been “afraid” of the American in a 6-3, 6-2 loss.
Not this time.
“I really thought that I could beat her,” Makarova said. “Maybe in my head that helped me.”
Williams tried not to blame her left ankle injury from a tuneup tournament in Brisbane two weeks ago. But she didn’t move well and seemed to have particular difficulty running to her left. She said if it hadn’t been a Grand Slam, she wouldn’t have played at all.
“Usually I play myself into the tournament,” Williams said. “But I don’t have a huge problem with an injury. So this is a completely different situation. Usually it’s easier for me to play myself in because I’m usually physically OK.”
At 30, Williams’ body is breaking down more often and, unlike earlier in her career, a lack of matches leaves her susceptible to upsets.
After squandering the fifth game of the second set with four double-faults, Williams threw up her arms in disbelief and yelled, “Oh, my God.” Her mother, Oracene Price, who doesn’t usually betray any emotion, shook her head in the stands.
Williams got away with a shanked smash in her third-round win.
On Monday, she sent an overhead way beyond the baseline when a winner would have given her two break-back points in the second set.