Dementieva knocks out Perry

LONDON: Russia's Elena Dementieva knocked the last American out of Wimbledon on Monday, beating Shenay  Perry 6-2, 6-0.

Perry was utterly overwhelmed in a one-sided contest that sent Dementieva, the number seven seed, into the quarter-finals for the first time.

"I was really nervous. I think it showed in my match," Perry confessed after the crushing defeat for the Stars and Stripes on the eve of American Independence Day.

Perry, whose serve is normally her most powerful weapon, was never able to get in an effective blow against the 24-year-old Russian.

The result made depressing reading for US tennis. It is the first time for 95 years that no American has reached the singles quarter-finals at Wimbledon.

The win was an immense relief for Dementieva who has reached the fourth round three times before at Wimbledon. But she will have to sharpen her serve after five double faults on Monday, if she is to progress further.

Perry was certainly hard on herself afterwards, confessing to reporters "I would like to have served a lot better and probably hit my forehand a lot better than I did."

Asked how she handled the situation as the last American left in the draw, she said, "I think it got to me a little bit. You know I didn't handle it as well as I would have liked to. Being the last American, it is a little nerve-racking," the 21-year-old said.