WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Four-time champion Serena Williams overcame windy conditions and a gritty 65th-ranked opponent Monday to pull out another three-set victory and reach the quarterfinals of Wimbledon.
The sixth-seeded American won the last three games of the final set to beat Kazakhstani wild card Yaroslava Shvedova 6-1, 2-6, 7-5, in cool and gusty conditions on Court 2.
Williams hopped in joy with both feet in the air after hitting a big forehand that forced an error by Shvedova on the first match point, ending a hard-hitting contest that lasted nearly two hours.
Williams will next face the winner of the fourth-round match between defending champion Petra Kvitova and former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.