WIMBLEDON TITLE FAVOURITE Karolina Pliskova crashed to a shock second round defeat against world number 108 Magdalena Rybarikova on Thursday.
Rybarikova battled back from a set down to win 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 on Centre Court, earning the Slovakian a last 32 clash with Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko.
Pliskova reached the US Open last year and the French Open semi-finals last month, but the Czech world number three has a dismal record at Wimbledon and for the sixth successive year she failed to get past the second round.
With defending champion Serena Williams sidelined while she prepares to give birth and world number one Angelique Kerber in poor form this year, Pliskova had been installed as a top contender to lift the Venus Rosewater Dish.
She became the firm favourite on Wednesday when compatriot and two-time champion Petra Kvitova was knocked out.
Instead, the 25-year-old will leave the All England Club empty-handed after squandering her title bid, although she could still be world number one by the end of the tournament, depending on the how far Kerber and Simona Halep progress.
“For the first two seeded girls, Angie and Simona, they have also some tough draws,” Pliskova said.
“But for me, the tournament is over. So whatever happens happens. I’m not going to pray for somebody losing or winning. That’s not my thing.”
Asked what causes her Wimbledon woes, Pliskova admitted she still finds it hard to adapt to the grass courts.
“You have to get used to it. It’s different, tennis here. You cannot compare to clay or hard courts,” she said.
“The jump from the ball is always different. It doesn’t go high. You have to bend your knees, which is always trouble for me.
“There are few other things which I really don’t like on grass. Probably something in the air here!
“Obviously it’s disappointing. I don’t think I played bad.
“I’m just waiting for one or two good matches here in a row.”
It is only the second time Rybarikova has reached the last 32 at Wimbledon in 10 main draw appearances.
“I didn’t think ‘I’m going to lose this match’, but I was not that confident. I’m speechless right now and I’m so happy,” said Rybarikova who has a 15-1 record on grass this season.
“It’s an amazing feeling. It’s special. I had two surgeries and I haven’t played for seven months and right now I’m in the third round at Wimbledon.”
Meanwhile, Roger Federer continued his quest for a record-breaking eighth Wimbledon title with a seamless second-round victory over Dusan Lajovic.
The 18-time grand slam champion set a new benchmark for most men’s singles wins at Wimbledon when Alexandr Dolgopolov retired in the second set of their round-one match, and he chalked up another victory with a 7-6 (7-0) 6-3 6-2 win on Centre Court.
In truth, Lajovic – certainly for the first two sets – did little wrong but, as has so often been the case throughout Federer’s decorated career, the Swiss maestro was a class above as he levelled Serena Williams’ record of 316 singles victories in majors.
And it took just 90 minutes for Federer to wrap up the match and book a third-round contest with Mischa Zverev, a man he has beaten twice in 2017 – including en route to winning the Australian Open.
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