Tennis is considered one of the most mentally challenging sports. A tennis player does not simply win a point; they build it. And they do so against the resistance of an opponent. It’s a back-and-forth that can be endless. Therefore, it’s extremely rare for a tennis player to win several consecutive points, let alone an entire set without conceding. However, the first WTA player to achieve this in the Open Era was Yaroslava Shvedova at Wimbledon in 2012.
Shvedova was always an accomplished player, since turning pro in 2005. During her career, she secured one singles title and 13 doubles titles. Among those doubles titles, she claimed two Grand Slams at Wimbledon and the US Open in 2010. She also reached a career-high ranking in doubles of World No. 3 in 2016.
However, in 2011, Shvedova suffered one of her toughest seasons, after suffering a knee injury at the start of the year, which forced her to miss the Australian Open. She underwent surgery, but admitted to forced rehabilitation. “I came back too soon so my knee was bothering me for half (a) year,” she said in 2013 to Hobart’s International press team.
Shvedova during the 2012 Wimbledon (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
With the pain, she declined in form, especially in singles. But in 2012, she started the year strong, reaching consecutive finals in Mexico, winning one, and qualifying to the French Open, in which she upset defending champion Li Na to reach the quarterfinals. But her date with history came a month later in Wimbledon, where she forged her name in tennis history forever.
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She was World No. 1, won two Grand Slams and returned to tennis after becoming a mother and going through a custody battle
The Golden Set against Sara Errani
In her memorable 2012 Wimbledon run, her third-round match against Sara Errani, who was 10th top seed, saw her deliver 14 winners, including four aces, and five unreturned serves to win 24 consecutive points in 15 minutes and achieve a Golden Set. It was the first time that a player did it in a Grand Slam, and the first time in the Open Era. Before, only ATP World No. 9 Bill Scanlon had done it, when he beat Marcos Hocevar 6-2, 6-0 in Delray Beach in 1983.
She ended up securing a victory at 6-0, 6-4. Unaware of her golden set, Shvedova, who entered the tournament as a wildcard, recounted, “I was just playing every point and every game,” learning about the feat from her coach post-match.
The following round paired her against Serena Williams, who quipped pre-match about hoping to win at least a point. Williams triumphed in a tight contest, 6-1, 2-6, 7-5.Despite the loss, Shvedova’s 2012 season pushed her into the Top 25, her best singles ranking.
“I was working hard and had a great team around me,” said Shvedova, who started 2012 ranked world No. 206. “I am very thankful to my team. It’s not only my work but the team work,” she said in 2013.
Shvedova maintained a presence in the Top 100 until 2017, but following ankle surgery and her transition into motherhood—with the birth of twins in October 2018—her tennis career slowed. Making a valiant return to the sport at age 32, Shvedova ultimately retired in 2021, leaving behind a memorable mark on the tennis world.
