By Sean Bradley Photo Credit: Don Emmert/Getty Images
(September 2, 2011) Maria Sharapova, the tournament’s No. 3 was shocked out of the US Open by Flavia Pennetta, the 26th-seeded Italian, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.
Despite having nearly double the number of winners that Pennetta had, Sharapova put up an astounding 60 unforced errors with 12 double faults. Which, combined with only winning 38-percent of her second serve point, led to her demise. Pennetta said, "I starting to be really aggressive when she was serving. I try to just let her think too much and maybe make some double fault. That's what happened."
Of her game, Sharapova said, “I made way too many unforced errors. I fought back to get myself back in the match in the third set. I think the first three, four games on every game I had a chance to win that game, whether it was a breakpoint or it was a game point on my serve, and I didn't win those games. When you're done 1‑4 and you get yourself back in a position where can you win again and start making errors, it's just too inconsistent to win the match against her.” Pennetta goes on to play against China’s Shaui Peng in the fourth round.
13th seed Peng took out 19th-seeded German Julia Goerges, 6-4, 7-6(1). Goerges seemed to cause her own demise, racking up 44 unforced errors – more than double Peng’s 19. Goerges also won only 39-percent of her second serve points, compared to Peng’s 50-percent.
Sabine Lisicki took out American-hopeful Irina Falconi, 6-0, 6-1. Falconi won only 31-percent of both her first and second-serve points, while Lisicki put up 80-percent winners on her first serve.
Lisicki goes on to play against a significantly more difficult player in the next round: Vera Zvonareva. Of the forthcoming match, Lisicki said, "I'm really looking forward to it. I hope I can get a revenge. We played here last year and we played in San Diego, those two on hard courts. It was really close in San Diego. There I was really tired, but I was playing well. I'm playing well now, as well."
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