Russian girls
Russia’s powerful contingent of Russian girls made their mark in 2004 by winning three of four Grand Slam tournaments. Add another Russian first after Monday’s round of 16.
For the first time in the Open era (since 1968), four Russian girls have advanced to the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tournament. Fourth-round winners included second seed and defending champ Russian girls Maria Sharapova, No. 5 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, No. 8 seed Nadia Petrova and No. 9 seed Anastasia Myskina.
All but Russian girls Petrova won majors last year: Sharapova at Wimbledon, Myskina at the French Open and Kuznetsova at the U.S. Open. It’s the fifth time in the last six majors that at least three of the eight quarterfinalists hailed from the former Soviet Union. With Sharapova and Petrova facing off in the next round, as many as three could reach the semifinals, which would be another first.
Fashion statement: Venus Williams, no stranger to fashion, is big on scarves. The 14th-seeded American strode into her news conference after beating compatriot Jill Craybas 6-0, 6-2 with a colorful wrap around her head that dangled down to her waist.
“I love scarves mostly because I don’t like to comb my hair that much,” explained the 25-year-old American, who joked her Medusa-like curls could “turn you all to stone right now.”
“My hair is kind of hard to comb, it’s so curly and crazy. Other than that, I’m just a scarf collector. This is my longest one.”
Williams couldn’t say how many were in her collection. That’s because her sisters are always making off with her favorites.
“I had four scarves lifted that I just bought,” she said, “so now I have to change the location because I always have some really nice ones.”
More Martina: Martina Navratilova is in the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, in doubles. The nine-time Wimbledon singles champion advanced to the final eight Monday when she and partner Anna-Lena Groenefeld beat Shinobu Asagoe and Katarina Srebotnik 6-3, 6-3. Navratilova, who has 31 Grand Slam doubles titles to go along with 18 in singles and nine in mixed doubles, will face Vera Douchevina and Shahar Peer.