The world number one Serena Williams lost her first matches of 2015, falling by 6-2, 6-3 to Petra Kvitova in the semifinals of the Madrid Open. Wimbledon champion Kvitova reeled off four consecutive games from 2-2 to take the first set. The Czech and the powerful left-handed shots and variety took only 73 minutes to trounce Serena 6-2, 6-3 and in the process ended the American’s long unbeaten run, which stood at 27 before the defeat.
After the loss, the loss ended Williams’s 27-match streak of wins on the WTA tour, which dated to 2014. For Kvitova, a Czech who has twice won at Wimbledon, it was the first win over Williams in six meetings.
It was the two-time Grand Slam champion Kuznetsova who dictated and didn`t drop her serve once in the match.
On the other side top seed, Maria Sharapova was also eliminated, losing, 6-2, 6-4, to Svetlana Kuznetsova in the first semifinal of the clay-court tournament. In the men’s tournament, Rafael Nadal of Spain advanced to the semifinals by beating Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria, 6-3, 6-4.
In a statement, Kuznetsova, currently No. 29 in the WTA singles and No. 139 in the doubles ranking who will be playing in her first final in nine months, is 1-3 against Kvitova but beat the Czech on clay last year at the French Open in their last meeting.
In the men’s tournament, Rafael Nadal advanced to the semifinals by beating Grigor Dimitrov, 6-3, 6-4.
Nadal’s opponent will be sixth-seeded Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic, who defeated John Isner of the United States, 3-6, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (1).
After wins the match, Nadal said, “Its great news to be in the semifinals, it’s a very positive result for me,” “I am pleased with the way I played this afternoon, very happy.”
