Live Commentary: Maria Sharapova vs. Coco Vandeweghe - as it happened

Good afternoon. It's ladies quarter-final day at Wimbledon, and first up on Centre Court it's former champion Maria Sharapova against unseeded American Coco Vandeweghe. Sharapova will be hoping to win her second title at SW19, while there's nothing to lose for Vandeweghe, who has never been past the third round at a Grand Slam before.

The players have just arrived on court and are going through there warmups. Sharapova has looked in sensational form so far at Wimbledon, not dropping a set in her first four matches. Vandeweghe has also looked impressive though, beating seeds Sam Stosur, Lucie Safarova and Karolina Pliskova on her way to the last eight. This is her first appearance on Centre Court though.

There could be a bit of a delay as the covers have just been brought out during the players' warmup. There have been a few passing showers over SW19 today, but there is always the option to close the roof if it looks like it's going to stick around.

The players haven't returned to the locker room, so it looks like this should just be a few minute delay. If the roof does have to be closed, the entire match will have to take place indoors, although they would have the option to open it back up for Serena Williams's match against Victoria Azarenka later.

This will be the first time that Sharapova has faced the American, who was ranked 47th in the world coming into this tournament. Should Vandeweghe win today, she'll jump up into the top 30.
© Getty Images

As well as live coverage from all of today's quarter-finals, there's also our Wimbledon blog up and running to keep you up to date with all the latest news from Wimbledon, as well as the final set of Novak Djokovic's fourth-round match against Kevin Anderson, which was suspended because of the fading light last night.

A voice comes over the public address system at Centre Court and announces that the current showers aren't expected to last, and that the covers should be coming off in the next 10 minutes, so play should be underway shortly.

In the mean time, let's take a closer look at the players, starting with Vandeweghe. The 23-year-old made her Grand Slam debut at the age of 15 as a wildcard at the 2008 US Open. This is her fifth appearance at Wimbledon, and just the first time she's made it past the second round. Her previous best performance at a Grand Slam came at the Australian Open earlier this year, where she made it to the third round. She won her only WTA title to date on grass, beating Zheng Jie in the final at the Topshelf Open in the Netherlands in the build up to last year's Wimbledon.

Sharapova is five years older than her opponent, and has five Grand Slam titles to her name, the first of which came at Wimbledon in 2004 when she was just 17 years old. Since then she's won 35 WTA titles, the most recent of which was the Italian Open on clay earlier this year. Although she made her breakthrough on grass in 2004, it's been 10 years since she last won a grass-court tournament, and her last final on grass was the Olympic gold-medal match in 2012, which she lost to Serena Williams.

The covers are now off on Centre Court, the net is back up, the line judges are in place and the ball boys have made their way back out. All we need now are some players!

And here they come. Sharapova and Vandeweghe stroll back out to polite applause from a now slight damp Centre Court crowd. It's still a little breezy, but the sky is blue and the sun is shining, so hopefully that will be it for the day.

Here's the groundstaff in action a few minutes ago, getting the court ready for the first ladies quarter-final:

Good news... The covers are off #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/U0ZULKWkRm

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 7, 2015

While Sharapova and Vandeweghe finish their warmups, there's just time to remind you about the order of play for today. Serena Williams will take on 23rd seed Victoria Azarenka on Centre Court after this match. Over on Court One, the four players remaining in the bottom half of the draw are in action later, with Garbine Muguruza taking on Timea Bacsinszky, while Madison Keys is up against former finalist Agnieszka Radwanska.

Right then, the players are finally ready to get the match underway, with Sharapova to serve first.

Vandeweghe claims the opening point of the match with an excellent forehand return. Sharapova levels it up with a big second serve on the next point, but is struggling to get her first serves in at the start of this match, allowing the American to put her under pressure at the net and force a wide cross-court forehand from the Russian, giving her two break points. Sharapova powers her serve down the middle to save the first, while Vandeweghe slices her backhand into the net to take the game to deuce. A brilliant backhand return from Vandeweghe gives her another chance to take Sharapova's serve, but the Russian ups the pace on her serve to save it. A mis-hit from the young American tees Sharapova up for a volley though, which allows the fourth seed to escape with her serve intact. What a start from Vandeweghe though, bringing up four break points in the opening game of the match.

Sharapova makes a couple of excellent returns to take a 30-15 lead in the game, but misjudges a second serve from the American to keep her opponent in the game, before a low forehand from the fourth seed allows Vandeweghe to keep the set on serve.

Sharapova makes a double fault, but Vandeweghe misses a volley close into the net on the next point. Sharapova is still struggling with her serve though, making another double fault, which is her 30th of the tournament, allowing Vandeweghe to bring up another break point with a forehand to the sideline from midcourt. The 2004 champion responds with her first ace, but then makes her third double of the game. She finally manages to find some form on her serve though, forcing a couple of missed returns from the American to clinch the game. Sharapova really doesn't look comfortable with her serve at the moment.

BREAK! Sharapova's famous grunt is getting louder with every game as she realised that she's going to have to work for every point. At 30-30, Vandeweghe goes over to the umpire to raise an issue, and the crowd mics don't pick it up but it would appear that she's not happy with the amount of noise her opponent is making. At deuce, Vandeweghe slices her forehand wide, giving Sharapova her first break point of the match, but she can't return her opponent's big serve own the middle of the court. A wayward groundstroke from the American gives the fourth seed another break point though, and she takes it with a powerful return.

BREAK BACK! Vandeweghe complains to the umpire again, seemingly unhappy with the way Sharapova is moving around behind the baseline while she's mid ball toss. However, it's Sharapova on serve now, and she's taken a bit of the pace off to try to cut down the errors which plagued her first two service game, but that only allows Vandeweghe to attack on the return, racing to a 40-0 lead, and she immediately gets the break back by coming inside the baseline to jab a forehand winner past the former champion. What an excellent response from the unseeded 23-year-old.

BREAK! Sharapova is looking really sharp on the return at the start of this game, coming inside the baseline to take the ball early, clinching the opening couple of points. A long forehand from Vandeweghe gives the Russian a break point, and she takes the game when a lengthy exchange from the baseline results in the American firing her backhand into the net.

Sharapova appears to have brushed off her shaky start, his hitting her serve well and timing her forehand to perfection, landing on right on the back corner to take a 40-0 lead, before sealing the game with a delicately played shot to the sideline.

Vandeweghe makes a strong start as she serves to stay in the opening set, thumping a 115mph serve towards her opponent. At 40-0, Vandeweghe sends Sharapova to the far left with a well-timed forehand, before coming into the net to find the opposite side of the court on the half-volley, forcing Sharapova to try to serve it out.

SET! Sharapova's serving continues to get stronger after some struggles in the first couple of games, leaving Vandeweghe unable to return her first couple of points. With two set points, Sharapova makes another double fault, but Vandeweghe hits a low backhand on the next point which doesn't clear the net, giving Sharapova the opening set. It wasn't the most clinical display from the fourth seed, but she's halfway to a spot in the semi-finals.

Vandeweghe hits some ferocious backhands to try to wrongfoot her opponent, but Sharapova gets her racquet to the ball at full stretch to take a 30-0 lead, but the American levels the game with two well-taken forehand winners. Sharapova is back on the attack to bring up a break back, but another stunning forehand from the Vandeweghe takes the game to deuce. The fourth seed lets Vandeweghe off as she twice fires her forehand into the net.

Vandeweghe dictates the longest rally of the match so far with a series of well-timed backhands, before coming into the net to wrap it up with a volley. The Russian gets involved in the net herself on the next point though to level the game. Sharapova manages to edge ahead as the American slices a return wide, before hitting the ball into the net on the next point to keep the early stages of this set on serve.

BREAK! Vandeweghe makes just her second double fault of the match at the start of the game, while a massive return on the next point from Sharapova puts the Russian 30-0 up. The world number four is really finding the edges of the court at the moment, helping her bring up three break points, and she gets it at the first time of asking when Vandeweghe miscues on a backhand, hitting the ball into the net.

Sharapova looks like she's on her way to a comfortable hold of serve as she fires a backhand down the line, but a double fault on the next point keep Vandeweghe in contention, but another stunning stroke down the line from Sharapova and a long return from the American allow the fourth seed to consolidate her break.

Vandeweghe serves well at the start of the game, forcing a run of returning errors from Sharapova to open up a 40-0 lead. A couple of sloppy forehand from the American get the fourth seed back into the game though, and it heads to deuce when Vandeweghe slices the ball into the net. The unseeded player finds her first serve again to get advantage, before Sharapova hits her backhand wide, allowing Vandeweghe to end a run of three-straight games for Sharapova.

The crowd is really getting behind Vandeweghe as they clearly want another set of this match. The American fight hard, forcing Sharapova to sprint the length of the baseline to try to keep herself in a rally, which Vandeweghe took the point from, and a double fault from Sharapova brings up deuce. Vandeweghe shows excellent reactions at the net to hit a string of volleys, but each time she hits is straight at Sharapova, eventually allowing the fourth seed to fire the winner past her opponent, and a big second serve ensures that Sharapova remains a break ahead.

Vandeweghe puts in one of her best service games of the match, putting some decent power behind the ball. At 40-15, Sharapova tries to makes a rare trip into the net, but she gets the volley all wrong, handing the American the game. At the change of ends, Vandeweghe is complaining amount Sharapova moving during her ball toss again, and informs the umpire that "if you don't talk to her then I will, it's not a problem."

Sharapova looks like she's in trouble at 30-15 down and Vandeweghe dominating from the baseline. The Russian challenges a Vandeweghe forehand though, and hawkeye confirms that the ball was long. Sharapova uses a couple of huge serves to Vandeweghe's forehand to see the game out, and she's just one more off a spot in the semi-finals.

Vandeweghe needs a big serve a 30-30 to ensure that she doesn't lose it on her own serve, but she pulls a 114mph delivery out of the bag, but a double fault on the next point brings up deuce. The American goes for power again to force advantage, and Sharapova can only return to the net on the next point to leave herself serving for the match in the next game.

BREAK! Vandeweghe is determined to give herself a chance in this match, firing a couple of terrific returns towards her opponent, before a double fault from Sharapova gives the American three break points. The Russian is cautious with her save to save the first, taking some pace off it, but Vandeweghe gets the better of the former champion in a thrilling baseline rally, getting the set back on serve, and she urges the crowd to make more noise as she gets ready to serve in the next game.

Vandeweghe makes a double fault at the start of the game as it looks like she might be starting to feel the pressure, but she quickly puts the behind her, timing her groundstrokes to perfection to take a 40-15 lead. A run of unforced errors from the American get the game back to deuce though, before Sharapova hits some solid forehands from the back of the court to bring up advantage, but she forces the ball slightly long to miss out on the break point. Vandeweghe gets the advantage when the fourth seed hits another ball long, and she escapes with her serve intact after a big serve into Sharapova's body. The points were noticeably longer in that game, with more rallies starting to feature in this contest.

TV presenter Suzy Perry is among those watching the action on Centre Court today. As you can see from her Twitter post, the weather certainly seems to have brightened up after a rain delay earlier:

Nice view today @Wimbledon @bbctennis #coco #maria pic.twitter.com/NBsDJMkXhX — suzi perry (@suziperry) July 7, 2015

A huge forehand return from Vandeweghe forces a mistake from Sharapova, and the Russian hits the ball wide on the next point to hand the American a set point. Sharapova misses her first serve, but goes big on the second to force Vandeweghe to blast her return long, taking the game to deuce. A well-taken volley to the back corner gives Vandeweghe another chance to wrap up the second set, but once again Sharapova finds a big serve at the right time to keep her in it. Vandeweghe overhits a cross-court backhand to give Sharapova her first advantage, and she takes it when Vandeweghe hits her forehand long, so the set will be decided in a tiebreak.

Sharapova *1-0 Vandeweghe. Sharapova gets an immediate minibreak as Vandeweghe slices her forehand wide.

Sharapova *1-1 Vandeweghe. The American levels with an excellent cross-court forehand.

Sharapova 1-2* Vandeweghe. Vandeweghe goes a minibreak up with another forehand winner.

Sharapova 1-3* Vandeweghe

Sharapova *2-3 Vandeweghe. Vandeweghe makes a double fault to put the breaker back on serve.

Sharapova *3-3 Vandeweghe

Sharapova 3-4* Vandeweghe. Another well-struck forehand gives Vandeweghe another minibreak.

Sharapova 3-5* Vandeweghe

Sharapova *3-6 Vandeweghe. Sharapova slices the ball into the net, bringing up three set points for Vandeweghe.

SET! Sharapova fights hard from the back of the court, but Vandeweghe hits a backhand sweetly to level the match. Both players head off court for a quick comfort break after what was a gripping set of tennis. The decider should be just as thrilling.

There's another women's quarter-final underway at the moment as well between Spain's Garbine Muguruza and 15th seed Timea Bacsinszky. You can follow live coverage from that match here.

It's a confident start to the deciding set from Sharapova as she fires a run of solid first serves towards Vandeweghe, allowing her to hold to love.

BREAK! Vandeweghe looks like she's made a good start as she watches Sharapova return her first serve long, before stepping into the baseline to hit a forehand to the back corner. The American tries one too many attempts to get into the net though, allowing Sharapova to lob the ball over her opponent. Vandeweghe goes for an overhead smash, but takes it a touch too late and hits it into the net, giving Sharapova a chance to get an early break on the board, but the Russian's return is long. At deuce, a long forehand from Vandeweghe gives the fourth seed another chance, and she takes this one as Vandeweghe hits the ball into the net.

Here's the moment Vandeweghe clinched the second set:

WATCH The unseeded @CoCoVandey has the delighted Centre Court crowd on their feet #Wimbledon http://t.co/X9HW4DV9qE — Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 7, 2015

Vandeweghe wants the break back as she sprints into the net to return a drop shot, flicking the ball over the net and landing it right on the baseline to bring up deuce. Sharapova thumps another big serve towards her opponent to bring up advantage, before the American fires her forehand long, giving Sharapova a comfortable lead in the third set as she consolidates her break.

Vandeweghe looks to the net again, picking up the opening point with a volley, before landing a cross-court backhand on the sideline after a baseline rally. She misses a forehand on the next point to keep Sharapova in the game, but the Russian slices her return wide to let Vandeweghe on the board in this third set.

BREAK! Sharapova has made far too many double faults in this match, and she makes another at the start of this game, before some more stunning groundstrokes from Vandeweghe bring up two break points for the unseeded American. Sharapova saves the first with an ace down the centre line, before a long return from Vandeweghe brings up deuce. Vandeweghe gets another break point with an excellent return down the sideline though, before Sharapova hits her forehand too low, handing the American the game. The deciding set is now back on serve!

BREAK! Sharapova asks for hawkeye to take a look at a second serve from Vandeweghe, and manages to prove that the American made a double fault. A couple more unforced errors from the world number 47 give the Russian a chance to go a break up again, and she claims the game when Vandeweghe catches the ball with the frame of her racquet.

Sharapova has a solid serving game, managing to get a run of first serves in to keeps Vandeweghe stretched on the return to take a 40-15 leads. She misses a serve while trying to close out the game, allowing the American to get a point back, but on the next point the Russian gets her fourth ace of the match, leaving her just once game off a spot in the semi-finals.

GAME, SET & MATCH! As the match has gone on, Sharapova has looked more and more often to the lob to get the better of Vandeweghe at the net, and she does so again early in this game. The world number 47 finds a couple of sidelines to secure a 40-15 lead, but gets a volley wrong on the next point, before being wrongfooted by a Sharapova midcourt forehand to take the game to deuce. Vandeweghe's forehand flies long to give the Russian a match point, and an unlucky hit on the net chord carries the American's forehand wide, allowing the fourth seed to secure her spot in the semi-finals.

So, that's all from a thoroughly entertaining quarter-final, but stick around if you want to find out who Sharapova will be facing next, as we'll be bringing you live coverage of Serena Williams's match against Victoria Azarenka. Thanks for joining me this afternoon. Goodbye.