Issue link: http://itf.uberflip.com/i/366594
ITFWORLD SUMMER 2014 19 www.itftennis.com In the women's competitions the younger generation must have fancied its chances after the early exits of Serena Williams and Li Na, the world's top two players, at both the French Open and Wimbledon. Williams lost to Garbine Muguruza in the second round in Paris and to Alize Cornet in the third round at Wimbledon. Li was beaten by Kristina Mladenovic in the first round of the French and by Barbora Zahlavova Strycova in Wimbledon's third round. In Paris it was the first time in the Open era at any Grand Slam tournament that the top two seeds had lost before the third round, while it was the first time in the Open era that the top two had gone out before Wimbledon's fourth round. Williams' Wimbledon defeat contributed to a miserable tournament for the United States, which was not represented in the fourth round of either singles competition for the first time for 103 years. halep, who had won seven titles in the preceding 12 months, made the Roland Garros final without dropping a set. Andrea Petkovic, making a welcome return to the top ranks after two injury-ravaged years, reached her first Grand Slam semifinal before losing to the 22-year-old Romanian. The other semifinal saw Sharapova beat Bouchard, who had also made the last four in Melbourne. Sharapova, having been taken to a deciding set for the fourth match in a row, beat halep 64 67 64 in a gripping final which lasted more than three hours and saw 16 breaks of serve. It was the first time the final had gone to a third set for 13 years and was Sharapova's 20th consecutive victory in clay-court matches extending over three sets. The Russian was making her third successive appearance in the final. Sharapova, having been taken to a deciding set for the fourth match in a row, beat Halep in a gripping final which lasted more than three hours and saw 16 breaks of serve. Maria Sharapova powered to her fifth Grand Slam title in Paris Wimbledon runner-up Eugenie Bouchard impressed at both summer majors