Sharapova won seven consecutive games during one stretch but let a late lead slip away Wednesday and was beaten by Gisela Dulko, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 in the second round at Wimbledon.
In a wild, 14-point final game, Sharapova saved four match points. But on the fifth she pushed an easy forehand long, and she was out of the tournament after two rounds for the second year in a row.
The 2004 champion was playing in her fourth event since rejoining the tour last month following shoulder surgery in October. She’s ranked 60th but was seeded 24th because of past success at the All England Club.
“This is not an overnight process,” Sharapova said. “It’s going to take time, as much time as I need on the court, to get everything together. ... Just being here is a wonderful accomplishment.”
Two-time champion Serena Williams, seeded second, sped into the third round by beating Jarmila Groth 6-2, 6-1. Williams committed only six unforced errors.
No. 16 Zheng Jie, a semifinalist as a wild card last year, lost to Daniela Hantuchova 6-3, 7-5. No. 8 Victoria Azarenka lost only six points in her six service games and shut out Ioana Raluca Olaru 6-0, 6-0.
No. 10 Nadia Petrova, No. 14 Dominika Cibulkova and No. 26 Virginie Razzano advanced.
Dulko, ranked 45th, matched her best showing at Wimbledon by reaching the third round. She had won a total of only three games in two previous matches against Sharapova, but the Argentine repeatedly took charge of rallies by hitting drop shots, while Sharapova struggled with her serve and forehand.
“I had so many easy balls, and I just made unforced errors from those,” Sharapova said. ”When I’ve had those situations before, those balls would be pieces of cake, and today they weren’t.”
She and Dulko played the afternoon’s first match on Centre Court in warm sunshine, and the new roof remained open for a third consecutive day. Dulko was almost flawless at the start, committing only four unforced errors in the first 11 games.
But with a 3-love lead in the second set, she began spraying her shots, and Sharapova pulled even.
“It took me a while to get going,” Sharapova said. “It’s a little too late to start picking yourself up when you’re down a set and 3-love.”
Sharapova wobbled again in the third set, double-faulting to lose serve and trail 2-1. She double-faulted twice in a row and lost serve at love to fall behind to stay, 4-3.
With Dulko serving in the final game, Sharapova lost two challenges as the score reached 40-15. Always at her best under pressure, Sharapova hit a booming return and a feathery drop shot to overcome the first two match points, and her return winner erased another.
But with a point for 5-all, Sharapova pushed a backhand into the net, then made errors on the final two points as well.
Sharapova fell to 6-1 this year in three-set matches. She finished with nine double-faults and had at least one in every service game in the final set.
“Losses are tough, more here than at any other tournament,” the three-time Grand Slam champion said. “But, you know, it puts some perspective into your life. It’s all right. I have many more years ahead of me.”
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