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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Wimbledon Favorite Serena Williams Is Defeated | Wimbledon Favorite Serena Williams Is Defeated |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| WIMBLEDON, England — In a Wimbledon full of upsets, even Serena Williams was not safe. | WIMBLEDON, England — In a Wimbledon full of upsets, even Serena Williams was not safe. |
| Only a few upsets could rival the first-round exit of Rafael Nadal and the second-round ouster of Roger Federer, but Sabine Lisicki beat the seemingly unbeatable, sending Williams out Monday in the fourth round, 6-2, 1-6, 6-4. | Only a few upsets could rival the first-round exit of Rafael Nadal and the second-round ouster of Roger Federer, but Sabine Lisicki beat the seemingly unbeatable, sending Williams out Monday in the fourth round, 6-2, 1-6, 6-4. |
| Fresh off dominating the French Open, Williams had won 34 consecutive matches. Before the tournament, she was a 1-2 favorite to win. But the No. 23 seed Lisicki, a big-serving German, had an odd streak of her own. In her last four Wimbledons, Lisicki had defeated the reigning French Open champion. | |
| “I’m so happy.” Lisicki, 23, said, breaking into tears in her BBC interview after the match. | “I’m so happy.” Lisicki, 23, said, breaking into tears in her BBC interview after the match. |
| She added: “I was fighting for every single point and hanging in there. It’s unbelievable.” | She added: “I was fighting for every single point and hanging in there. It’s unbelievable.” |
| Williams knew Lisicki would challenge her, and when she was asked Saturday about facing Williams, Lisicki said: “Everybody’s human being. You know, when I play, we’ll see what happens.” | Williams knew Lisicki would challenge her, and when she was asked Saturday about facing Williams, Lisicki said: “Everybody’s human being. You know, when I play, we’ll see what happens.” |
| In the first four games of the match, it was clear this match would be different for Williams than her first three. | In the first four games of the match, it was clear this match would be different for Williams than her first three. |
| Her second service game went to six deuces, with Lisicki chasing down everything. When Williams closed out the game with an ace, she let out a loud, “Come on!” | Her second service game went to six deuces, with Lisicki chasing down everything. When Williams closed out the game with an ace, she let out a loud, “Come on!” |
| But Williams failed to convert several break point opportunities, and was broken herself in the sixth game, making four straight errors to go down, 2-4. Then Lisicki broke Williams at love to win the first set, 6-2. | But Williams failed to convert several break point opportunities, and was broken herself in the sixth game, making four straight errors to go down, 2-4. Then Lisicki broke Williams at love to win the first set, 6-2. |
| It seemed as if Williams had turned the match for good early in the second set. She broke Lisicki at love in the third game during a stretch of winning 14 consecutive points. Williams had two more service breaks to close out the set, 6-1. | It seemed as if Williams had turned the match for good early in the second set. She broke Lisicki at love in the third game during a stretch of winning 14 consecutive points. Williams had two more service breaks to close out the set, 6-1. |
| She then earned a break early in the third set. In the second game, Lisicki was up by 40-0, and Williams battled back to earn break point, which she won when a Lisicki forehand went wide. | She then earned a break early in the third set. In the second game, Lisicki was up by 40-0, and Williams battled back to earn break point, which she won when a Lisicki forehand went wide. |
| But in a match full of momentum swings, there was still time for more. Up, 40-15, in the fifth game of the set, Williams got a bit cute with drop shots and made a handful of backhand errors to give Lisicki the break back. | But in a match full of momentum swings, there was still time for more. Up, 40-15, in the fifth game of the set, Williams got a bit cute with drop shots and made a handful of backhand errors to give Lisicki the break back. |
| That began a streak of three straight breaks of serve. In the eighth game, serving at 3-4, Lisicki fell behind by 0-40 but rallied with impeccable ground strokes and a timely ace to finally hold serve. | That began a streak of three straight breaks of serve. In the eighth game, serving at 3-4, Lisicki fell behind by 0-40 but rallied with impeccable ground strokes and a timely ace to finally hold serve. |
| Lisicki won the next two games to close out the match, keeping Williams off balance with big serves out wide and chasing down everything Williams sent back at her. | Lisicki won the next two games to close out the match, keeping Williams off balance with big serves out wide and chasing down everything Williams sent back at her. |
| After hitting a forehand winner on her second match point, Lisicki fell on her stomach and lay on the court for several seconds to take it in. | After hitting a forehand winner on her second match point, Lisicki fell on her stomach and lay on the court for several seconds to take it in. |
| “She was just on today,” Williams said. “She is always on against big players and on big courts.” | “She was just on today,” Williams said. “She is always on against big players and on big courts.” |
This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: | |
| Correction: July 1, 2013 | |
An earlier version of this article incorrectly described Sabine Lisicki. She is right-handed, not left-handed. |