Rain halts Radwanska-Kirilenko clash

Third seed Agnieszka Radwanska failed to take her chances of wrapping up her quarter-final against Russian Maria Kirilenko in two sets at Wimbledon and ended up having to book a return visit tomorrow.

After two lengthy rain breaks and several minor showers, the match was suspended at one set all and 4-4, 15-0 to Kirilenko in the third because of continuing wet weather and deteriorating light on Court One.

Pole Radwanska, knowing that she has a chance to become world number one if she reaches the final here, twice went a break up in the second set after taking the first 7-5.

Both times, she let 17th seed Kirilenko break straight back and the Russian took the set 6-4 with another break before rain interrupted play for some 35 minutes.

When the pair returned, Radwanska again went a break up, then surrendered her next serve. Her inconsistency gave Kirilenko confidence and the Russian began hitting aces at will, winning the seventh game to love before play was halted for the day early in the ninth.

Reuters