Here's hoping for a repeat of Serena-Sharapova from 2004

WIMBLEDON, England -- Time-lapse stuff, this Wimbledon. For the ladies, nothing could be more enticing. Serena against Sharapova, back after injuries and titles, facing each other and giving the All England Championships another jolt.

As Andy Roddick correctly pointed out after his win Friday, if we're struggling for story lines at this 2010 Wimbledon, we need to get a different job -- and fast.

In 2004, Maria Sharapova (then 17) defeated Serena Williams (then 22 and a No. 1 seed). (Getty Images)

So here's one more angle on a tournament with more angles than a trigonometry equation: Six years later, it's a Wimbledon redux, Maria Sharapova against Serena Williams, if in slightly different circumstances.

That other time, 2004, was in the final. This time, Monday, will be in the fourth round.

Sharapova was 17 then and beat 22-year-old Serena who was seeded No. 1. Now, of course, Sharapova is 23 and Serena is 28 and again the No. 1 seed.

On a Saturday of little drama but plenty of heat, the temperature in jolly old London climbing into the 80s, Williams defeated Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia, 6-0, 7-5, while Sharapova got past Barbora Zhalavova Strycova of the Czech Republic, 7-5, 6-3.

So the young woman who's No. 1 in the rankings, Serena, a three-time Wimbledon and a 12-time Grand Slam winner, meets the young woman, Sharapova, who awhile back used to be No. 1 in the rankings, a one-time Wimbledon and three-time Grand Slam winner.

Not too shabby for the start of the second week. But in some minds it's a bit too early in the competition for Serena to be playing Sharapova, who has pushed her way back from shoulder surgery that kept her out of the game for 10 months until May of 2009.

You think of the ladies at or near the summit, and for years, it was a group that included Serena, her sister Venus and Maria Sharapova. If they met, it was at least in the quarterfinals -- until Sharapova got hurt.

Thus, when someone asked whether it was too early in the draw for her to play Serena, Sharapova responded, "Absolutely not. I love playing against her. She's the defending champion. She's great on this surface. She's won numerous slams. If there's a challenge ahead of you, it's definitely playing against her. And I enjoy that."

Williams is no less enthusiastic. "I don't think it's too early," she said. "It is what it is. You obviously have to be ready. She's obviously really good, especially on grass."

Especially that time six years ago, their only confrontation here, when Sharapova defeated a slightly bewildered Serena, 6-1, 6-4.

"I just remember I was really nervous," said Williams. "I think I put too much pressure on myself. I didn't work out. That was that."

And this is this. The three matches she's played so far, Serena has won each first set, 6-0. No false starts for that lady.

Williams served 20 aces Saturday, won 37 of her 43 service points, sped through the first set in 18 minutes.

Tennis, like baseball, is not beholden to a clock. The John Isner-Nicolas Mahut match lasted 11 hours, 5 minutes -- the Serena-Cibulkova match lasted 1 hour, 8 minutes.

"Serving that well feels awesome," said Serena. "I serve well at Wimbledon for some reason. I wish I could serve like this every tournament."

Sharapova, with the shoulder trouble, could barely serve at all at one point, but she has returned to competence. And she wouldn't mind returning to the way she played against Serena six years back.

"I think that was our last meeting on grass," said Sharapova. "It's tough to take anything away from that match, as it was so many years ago. You know this will be a new day."

Sharapova doesn't believe she has returned to her skill and dominance of even 2½ years ago. But if she's not the tennis player she used to be, she's one who has found confidence in her game and future.

"I think there's still some improvements to be done," said Sharapova. "I mean, to be honest, I look back, and it's tough to compare yourself to what you were a few years ago. It's a different time in my career."

But in a way it's the same obstacles, the imposing presence of Serena Williams, or the just slightly less imposing presence of Venus Williams, the No. 2 seed behind her younger sister.

A day earlier at Wimbledon, Victor Hanescu of Romania, seeded 31st among the men, started tanking his match, was booed and spat in the crowd, which Saturday cost him a $7,500 fine for not giving his best effort and another $7,500 for unsportsmanlike conduct.

"You know," Serena Williams said commenting on the incident, "sometimes you lose your cool. I have experience with that."

Absolutely. Last September, she cursed out a line judge during a U.S. Open semifinal and was fined $82,500 and put on two years' probation.

"That," Williams offered, "was maybe a one-time thing, I hope."

What the rest of us can hope is that Serena-Sharapova at Wimbledon is great theater, as it was back in 2004.