Serena Williams' comeback ran out of steam at Eastbourne on Wednesday as she lost 3-6, 7-6 (5), 7-5 to top-seeded Vera Zvonareva in the second round.
Zvonareva came through a tense tussle in 3 hours, 12 minutes for only her second win in eight matches against the 13-time Grand Slam champion.
"I know I can do better," Williams said. "I can improve and I'm so close to being there, it's good."
The No. 3-ranked Russian gained a measure of revenge for her 6-3, 6-2 loss in last year's Wimbledon final that turned out to be Williams' last match for almost a year as she recovered from a cut on her foot which led to blood clots on her lungs.
Williams drew on her trademark fighting spirit in the deciding set as she came back from 5-2 down to make it 5-5, saving three match points at 5-4. But Zvonareva immediately broke again and a tiring Williams couldn't muster another fightback.
On the day she was awarded a Wimbledon seeding of seventh, 19 places above her world ranking, Williams was beaten on grass for the first time since she lost the 2008 final at the All England Club to her sister Venus.
From: http://ping.fm/90bh9
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