THERE must have been a moment yesterday afternoon when Sara Errani wondered if it was all going to be pointless.
This is not an expression of existential despair but rather a precise arithmetical definition of the predicament of the 25-year-old Italian. After 15 minutes on No.3 Court, the world No.10 had lost the first set. She had not won a point. All 24 had gone the way of Yaroslava Shvedova, the 24-year-old from Kazakhstan, who is ranked 65th in the world.
Mercifully, Errani won the first point of the second set but it meant little as Shvedova cruised through 6-0, 6-4 to the fourth round, where she will meet Serena Williams. The humiliation for the Italian, who reached the final of this year's French Open, was exacerbated as she now goes into history as the first victim of a Golden Set in a Grand Slam tournament.
Bill Scanlon of the USA achieved a Golden Set against Marcos Hocevar of Brazil in the first round of the WCT Gold Coast Classic at Delray Beach on February 22, 1983. Scanlon won the match 6-2, 6-0.
In 1943, Pauline Betz won the Tri-State tournament in Cincinnati, Ohio, defeating Catherine Wolf in the final, 6-0, 6-2, without losing a point in the first set.
Errani's fate was to do it in the third round of Wimbledon.
In contrast, there was purpose, and a considerable number of plus points for Petra Kvitova, the defending champion. She brushed away the limited challenge of Varvara Lepchenko of the USA, 6-0, 6-1.
The Czech feels there is more to come. "I'm feeling very well on the court, but I think last year I played unbelievably in seven matches. This year it's still a very open tournament," said the world No.4, who plays Francesca Schiavone of Italy in the quarters.
Tamira Paszek of Austria, Roberta Vinci of Italy, Victoria Azarenko of Belarus and Ana Ivanovic of Serbia also reached the fourth round yesterday.
Ivanovic had a tough struggle against Julia Goerges of Germany before prevailing 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Ivanovic, coached by Nigel Sears, formerly of the LTA, was once world No.1 and is fighting to regain her exalted status.
She was strong and defiant yesterday but her immediate prospects are difficult as she faces the confident Azarenko.
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