It's another angst-filled loss for Serena Williams at a Grand Slam, this time at Wimbledon

HEY, THEY ALL PLAY BETTER WHEN THEY PLAY ME

WIMBLEDON

How many angst-filled, stunningly premature losses does Serena Williams suffer

before it becomes not a shocker, but a trend?

Arrogance, she just cannot bow out gracefully

A sorry way to end a career

"I'm still number ONE in my own eyes"

Because with her 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 defeat at the hands of No. 25 seed Alizé Cornet of France in the third round at Wimbledon Saturday, that makes her three-for-three in Grand Slams – this season.

A fourth-round loss to Ana Ivanovic in Australia, a second-round shocker against Garbiñe Muguruza in Paris, and now a third-round loss to Cornet after a long day of waiting out the rain at Wimbledon.

When she first came into the interview room, it appeared old Serena might show up – downcast eyes, halfhearted shrugs, non-answers and three-word sentences.

Her first answer: "I don’t know. I tried and it just didn’t work out." Shrug. Awkward silence.

But as it went along, it was clear Williams did want to hash it out a little, because she was truly at a loss to explain the loss.

"In Australia, I just couldn’t play. In Paris, I played really bad. Here, I thought I played better. I came into the tournament in better form. I thought I was doing pretty decent," she said. "I think I’m going to have to watch this film to see what I can do better, and see what went wrong."

Several times during the press conference Williams brought up the notion that every one of her opponents completely plays above her level, plays the match of their life against her.

Against her. Not against anyone else. Just against her.

"The changes I need to make are mostly within, just try to see why I’m making some errors. But it’s difficult; if I’m not playing a great, great match these girls play me as though they’re on the ATP Tour, and they play other girls completely different," she said. "It’s not easy to be in my shoes, but you’ve got to be ready."

Williams said it's always been that way, in her opinion. But for whatever reason, it seems to be getting to her now. Maybe it's that she's getting older – the nerves under pressure can be the first vulnerability. Maybe it's because she's so far ahead of the rest of the field in the rankings that there's not that urgency.

She truly did not know why she lost. It wasn't Cornet's drop shots. It might have been that she didn't serve all that well, or made a few too many errors.

Because this time, it wasn't that she had physical issues as she did in Australia, and as she did in losing to Cornet the last time they met, this past winter in Dubai. It wasn't that she just had a bad day.

Serena ..... taking the wrong way out

I saw the outburst of Serena Williams last night, and I think we saw another spoiled millionaire athlete, who could not stand defeat, take another way out. She could blame the linesman, her temper, everyone and everybody but herself. I really thought she was a pathetic, wearing out, old athlete, who could not handle defeat.

Simple, she had been outplayed, she felt she was going to get beat, so she took it out on the linesman, not herself. Regardless of the call, she should not have reacted in the way she did.

I must admit I was rather stunned by it. It goes down in my "tragic ends." I remember when Woody Hayes struck the football player, and I remember the brawl between the Ohio State basketball team, and the team from Minnesota, and now, Serena attacking the linesman. It tarnishes all of her accomplishments. Makes John McEnroe look like a choirboy.

It was one of the worst displays of poor sportsmanship I have ever seen.

The Williams Sisters

I hope they don't make the finals, it ruins a great event for me.

If they do both get to the finals, before the match is even played, they tell the officials, "Just go ahead and make both checks out to Dad, it doeesn't matter who wins."

Sisters playing each other, tight family, who wins, who cares?

If it comes to that, I'm afraid I won't be eating strawberries while they play, I'll just grab a beer and hope a good western is playing.

Maybe it won't come to that ...........

I enjoy watching Roger, but sisters ............ no, and it seems like they have been playing forever....

Gracious Losers ........

Don't you just love gracious athletes, when they lose, they can never admit someone beat them ....

"Honestly, I think I lost because of me, and not because of anything she did," Williams said.

Williams being one of the sisters, who are now both out of the French Open.

THIS WAS WHAT THE WRITERS IN ATTENDANCE SAW ......................

The seesaw struggle was this close: Midway through the third set, each player had won 100 points.

"Honestly, I think I lost because of me, and not because of anything she did," Williams said.

Not entirely. High-risk tennis paid off for Kuznetsova, who whacked winners into both corners and sometimes chose angles that surprised Williams. Kuznetsova showed lots of variety, too -- when she hit a crosscourt lob, Williams staggered helplessly as she watched the ball land beyond her reach.

Williams was sometimes betrayed by uncertain footwork on the clay, which led to repeated mistakes on her forehand side down the stretch.