By DPA
London : 2004 champion Maria Sharapova crashed out to three-time holder Venus Williams 6-1, 6-3 in a scream-fest third-round match-up as Wimbledon began catching up a rain-hit schedule Wednesday.
Sharapova, seeded second, had little to offer in a weather-hit match in which just three points were played Tuesday evening before a storm struck.
At 1-1 in the second set between two of the loudest women on any court, the skies again opened a day later, with the pair off court for nearly two hours before resuming.
Williams, who lifted the crown in 2000, 2001 and 2005, ruled by securing 19 break points to none for Sharapova.
"I think I did a good job of trying to find a way in the second set, trying to fight, give it all I had," said Sharapova, who has been chosen for the Russian Fed Cup team which will face the US in a week in Vermont.
"In the end, I just didn't have enough."
Sharapova has been playing with a damaged shoulder injury, but has done nicely thanks to a pain-killing cortisone shot. She will have the injury scanned in the coming days before deciding on her playing schedule for the North American hardcourt summer.
"I'm not going to let my head hang and take months off because I lost a tennis match," said the seed. "I'm very capable of going out on the court and working hard, working to get better. It can only improve."
The result pulled Williams to 2-3 in the series and earned revenge for a three-set loss to the Russian in the Miami third round in March.
"I played solid today, my serve definitely was a weapon," said the winner. "When it was time, I played the percentages.
"When I had a chance, I went for it. Sometimes I made something happen."
Williams will play Thursday against Russian fifth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova.