This Date in Wimbledon History: July 3

Every morning during Wimbledon, we'll take a look back at a memorable match that occurred on that calendar day at the All England Club.

July 3, 2004: Maria Sharapova d. Serena Williams
Final; 6-1, 6-4

In a coming-of-age moment, the 13th-seeded Sharapova overpowered Williams to dethrone the two-time defending champion and snap her 20-match Wimbledon winning streak. The 17-year-old became the second-youngest woman to win Wimbledon in the Open era. (Martina Hingis was 16 years old when she defeated Jana Novotna to win Wimbledon in 1997.)

The Siberian-born Sharapova roared back from a one-set deficit to defeat Lindsay Davenport in the semifinals, 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-1, becoming the first Russian woman to reach the Wimbledon final since Olga Morozova in 1974. When Williams’ final forehand struck the net, Sharapova dropped to her knees near the baseline, buried her face in her hands before thrusting her arms in the air.

“I just believed in myself," Sharapova said. "I just kept fighting out there and just kept believing I could win."

Several of Sharapova’s shots left Williams shaking her head in disbelief. Rarely had a woman reduced the former No. 1 to sustained stretches of defensive tennis during a major, but Sharapova gave Williams the runaround for much of the match.

Bidding to become only the fourth women in the Open era to capture three consecutive Wimbledon crowns, Williams carried a 31-3 record at the All England Club and had won six of her prior seven Grand Slam finals. But from the moment Sharapova broke serve on the strength of her searing shots from the baseline to seize a 3-1 lead, it was clear the crown was resting uneasily on the champion’s head.

“I put a lot of stress on myself. I think I put too much stress on myself going into it,” Williams said afterward. “She's kinds of like me, she doesn't back off. She keeps giving it her all.”