The loss of No.3 seed Maria Sharapova in the second round, No.1 seed Ana Ivanovic in the third round and No.2 seed Jelena Jankovic and No.4 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova in the fourth round means for the first time in the Open Era, none of the Top 4 seeds have reached the women's singles quarterfinals of a Grand Slam; the previous worst result for the Top 4 seeds at a major was at the 1997 Australian Open, which saw the early demise of No.1 seed Steffi Graf, No.2 Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario and No.3 Conchita Martínez (No.4 seed Martina Hingis went on to win the title).
With only three of the Top 8 seeds advancing to the quarterfinals – No.5 Elena Dementieva, No.6 Serena Williams and No.7 Venus Williams – this is the worst showing for the Top 8 seeds at Wimbledon since 1996, when only three progressed to the last eight – No.1 Steffi Graf, No.4 Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario and No.6 Jana Novotna; the last time only three of the Top 8 seeds reached the quarterfinals at any Grand Slam was the 2007 Australian Open – No.1 Maria Sharapova, No.4 Kim Clijsters and No.6 Martina Hingis.
Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn and China's Zheng Jie are not only Asia's first Grand Slam singles quarterfinalists since Li Na reached the last eight at 2006 Wimbledon, but they write more history, as 2008 Wimbledon becomes the first time two Asian women have reached the singles quarterfinals of a major.
Tamarine Tanasugarn also becomes the first Thai woman ever to reach a Grand Slam singles quarterfinal, having previously fallen in the fourth round at Wimbledon six times (each year from 1998 to 2002, and 2004), as well as the Australian Open in 1998 and the US Open in 2003.
Zheng Jie is the fourth wildcard to reach the women's singles quarterfinals of a Grand Slam, following Monica Seles (runner-up at 1995 US Open), Mary Pierce (quarterfinalist at 2002 Roland Garros) and Martina Hingis (quarterfinalist at 2006 Australian Open).
Four-time defending champion Venus Williams advances to her ninth Wimbledon singles quarterfinal and 28th major quarterfinal overall; in terms of quarterfinals reached and titles won, Wimbledon is Venus's most successful major; next is the US Open, where she has won two titles (2000/2001) and reached eight quarterfinals (or better).
Three quarterfinalists from January's Australian Open have repeated the result at Wimbledon – Serena Williams, Venus Williams and Agneiszka Radwanska; however, only one of the Roland Garros quarterfinalists – Elena Dementieva – has advanced to the last eight at The Championships.
Three women are making their Wimbledon ladies' singles quarterfinal debuts – Agnieszka Radwanska, Tamarine Tanasugarn and Zheng Jie. (WTA).
Youngest player remaining: Nicole Vaidisova (CZE) – 19 years, 2 months. Oldest player remaining: Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) – 31 years, 1 month.
Despite a third-round loss to No.133-ranked wildcard Zheng Jie, Serbian Ana Ivanovic – a semifinalist at Wimbledon last year – will hold on to the world No.1 ranking next Monday, July 6. Coming into Wimbledon, there were three women who had a chance to take the top ranking from Ivanovic – No.2-ranked Maria Sharapova, No.3 Jelena Jankovic and No.4 Svetlana Kuznetsova. However, with the shock losses of Sharapova in the second round and Jankovic and Kuznetsova in the fourth round, Ivanovic will hold on to the top spot for a fifth career week, having ascended to No.1 on June 9 after reaching (and eventually winning) the Roland Garros final. (WTA)
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