| Saturday, 28 June 2008 Written by Kate Battersby An exhausted Dinara Safina was in tears after losing a marathon three hours and 25 minutes match against Israel’s Shahar Peer. The result meant the French Open finalist was unable to follow her brother Marat into the last 16 at Wimbledon. Peer, seeded 24, came into this tournament on a five-match losing streak but has well and truly snapped it now. In a mighty encounter, she beat the number nine seed 7-5, 6-7 (4-7), 8-6 and will face Elena Dementieva in the fourth round The tone of the match was clear from the outset. It was a baseline war of attrition. The first game, which 22-year-old Safina held, proved to be something of a novelty. After that the court was knee-deep in break points. First Safina wore down the 24th seed to break, but next the Russian lost her accuracy and handed it back. Even at this stage, observers were wondering how long the two women could continue with these long rallies of bludgeoning power. On and on they pounded, with Safina breaking and Peer, 21, forcing her way back. The Israeli edged her way to 4-5, at which point Safina became frustrated with a line judge. She pounded the turf and called to the official: "When it is over here, you call it out. Then when it is over there, you also call it out." Her concentration wobbled and she fluffed an easy chance to win the set 6-4. Next game, Peer punished her with another power stroke for break point, whereupon Safina delivered another error. Peer served it out 7-5. Safina, who no doubt arrived at Wimbledon with ambitions to extend her current run of three straight Tour finals with an appearance on the Centre Court next Saturday, seemed stunned. She had never been beyond the third round here, but was hoping to build on the best season of her career by breaking new territory. But Peer rammed home her advantage by breaking in the opening game of the second and this time managed to hold. Safina was running out of ideas and could make no impression on Peer's next games. Worse, she double-faulted to hand Peer the cushion of the double break. From here it should really have been a formality for Peer, but she fluffed it. Safina clawed her way back to 4-4, and they traded breaks to 6-6, including a match point for Peer at 5-4. Safina took the tie-break and they were into a third set. This time it was Safina with the early break for 2-1. At 4-3, she called for the trainer and had a three-minute medical time-out for ice treatment to her both thighs. Wouldn't you know it, Peer broke back for 5-5. Safina was in tears as she faced match point at 6-7 but Peer hit a feeble forehand into the net. The Russian was now so tired she could barely serve and it was no surprise that she lost the match on a double-fault. It was the third longest ladies’ singles match in Wimbledon history and victory belonged to Peer.
| Court 11 - Ladies' Singles - 3rd Round | |
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