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LONDON, June 28 (UPI) -- Serena Williams claimed a tight straight-set victory Monday over Maria Sharapova and reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. Williams, the world No. 1 and the event's defending champion, defeated Sharapova 7-6 (11-9), 6-4, powering her way with 19 aces.
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Williams piled up 31 winners versus 14 for Sharapova and cashed in both break point chances she had. Williams had 12 (out of 17 total) unforced errors in the first set.
No. 2-ranked Venus Williams was also pushed but advanced in two sets, stopping Jarmila Groth 6-5, 7-6 (7-5). Williams lost her serve twice in the second set but was able to get two breaks of her own before the tie-breaker.
Third-seeded Caroline Wozniacki and No. 4 Jelena Jankovic are both out. Wozniacki was routed 6-2, 6-0 in just 46 minutes by Petra Kvitova. Wozniacki managed just four winners against 11 unforced errors in the loss.
Jankovic retired with a lower-back injury after falling behind Vera Zvonareva 6-1, 3-0.
Eighth-seeded Kim Clijsters rallied for a 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 win over 17th-seeded Justine Henin. Clijsters overcame 23 unforced errors and six double faults, most of which came in the first set.
No. 9-seed Li Na beat seventh-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2, 6-3 in about an hour. Also, Tsvetana Pironkova slipped past 11th-seeded Marion Bartoli behind four service breaks and Kaia Kanepi took out Klara Zakopalova 6-2, 6-4 in a battle of unseeded players.
The quarterfinal appearances will be the first in a major tournament for Pironkova and Kvitova.
The quarterfinal matches have Serena Williams playing Li, Kvitova going against Kanepi, Clijsters meeting Zvonareva and Venus Williams facing Pironkova.
