Ruthless Serena loses just one game against Sharapova to complete a Career Golden Grand Slam

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Wilson Blade 9

Even Maria Sharapova, who completed a Career Grand Slam in spring by winning the French Open, was not close to stopping Serena Williams, who dropped only 17 games en route to the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics. Our contributor Omair is bringing us his view of the match.

Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova, a dream final any tennis fan would have wished for. The only two active players with Career Slams, but neither with an Olympic gold medal before today’s match. Both players knew that one of them would walk off the court smiling and completing the Career Golden Slam.

Serena entered the match as a favorite, having not lost to the Russian since 2004, and having beaten world No.1 Victoria Azarenka in the semifinals at the loss of only three games. Sharapova was clearly the underdog, but no one had expected the gold medal match to end up the way it did, Sharapova winning just one game in the entire match and losing 6-0 6-1.

Serena got off to a flying start bageling the Russian in the first set in just 30 minutes. Sharapova’s best chance to make any move came in the second set with Williams serving at 3-1. Sharapova moved ahead to 40-15 on Williams’ serve, but that was the maximum where Sharapova would get as Serena fired two clean winners to save the two break points and never looked back from then on, ending the match with back-to-back aces (Serenaesque way).

Let’s have a look at what the numbers say about the gold medal match:

Sharapova’s first serve percentage was not bad, it was the points won on her first serve that let her down. How do you expect to win against Serena winning just 50% of your first serve points? Serena won 29% more points on her first serve compared to Sharapova.

The numbers tell us that Sharapova’s serving demons haunted her today, as she served five double faults and won only 13% points on second serve. Sharapova won just two of the 15 points played on her second serve, whereas Serena won 64% (9 of 14).

As if that was not enough, Serena won a whopping 38% more points compared to Sharapova when returning the serve. Sharapova could not capitalize on the double break point chance, while Serena won five of the seven break point chances she got.
Serena played a very clean match. Her winners-unforced errors differential was +17, for Sharapova it was -4.

It was clearly a bad day for Sharapova, probably a day when she just had no clue as to what to do on court, and it seemed that she would love to be anywhere but on the court. It was the most lopsided gold medal match since tennis was inducted in the Olympics again in 1988, all the credit to Serena for showing yet another display of master class tennis.

Sharapova may find comfort in that she won the silver medal. Serena continues to go on, and with the win today she became the only tennis player in history to complete a Career Golden Slam both in singles and doubles, a superb end to the Olympics for a great player who has won 14 Grand Slams.

7 COMMENTS

  1. Bravo Serena too good love her and bravo to Maria for her amazing and classy composure after the match, i’m sure she gonna try again in Rio in 2016. Good luck

  2. Serena won 3 tournaments(Wimbledon, Stanford and the Olympics) decisively. Congratulations. She is now the overwhelming favorite to win the US Open Series, the big bonus money and the US Open itself.

    It’s great to see three Americans winning these Olympic Medals this year!!!

  3. Incredible performance from Serena today! It was great to see this year’s three Grand Slam winners on the podium and I think its good for the WTA.

  4. Well, I hate to spoil the party, but, to anyone whom it may concern: [link expired]
    P.S. Not that I have any attachments to the Shrieker, though – on the contrary. Dig the paradox, if you will.

  5. congractulation to serena 🙂 at the age of 30.. she is still the champion and the player of the wta tour!!! even sharapova can’t handle this powerful women!! and for the doubles it was an incredible show … loveee what venus & serena give for the sport 🙂

  6. And Tulip, what in the world does your post have to do with Serena? There is no paradox. Serena has passed every drug test and continues to pass them. Bottom line is that you are a HATER. Get over it. Serena won the Gold and the US Open.

    Must suck being a jealous YOU doesn’t it?

    Hate away hater. Like Serena CARES what a loser like you thinks…lol..

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