Sports
Former Champion Rybakina exits Wimbledon after shocking defeat to Mertens
Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina suffered a shocking exit from this year’s tournament after losing 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 to Belgium’s Elise Mertens in the third round on Saturday.
Rybakina had arrived at Wimbledon with hopes of adding another Grand Slam title to the Australian Open crown she won in January.
She was also aiming to lift the Wimbledon trophy for a second time after claiming her first title at the All England Club in 2022.
However, the world number two failed to continue her title chase as 25th seed Elise Mertens delivered one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.
Mertens produced a composed performance on Court One, edging a tightly contested first set before dominating the second to seal a memorable victory and book her place in the next round.
Rybakina, 27, also endured a disappointing early departure from the recent French Open, losing to Yuliia Starodubtseva in the second round.
The Russia-born Kazakhstani, who beat Ons Jabeur to win Wimbledon four years ago, has failed to make it past the third round on her last two visits to south-west London.
Mertens is a two-time Wimbledon doubles champion and has now reached the last 16 in the All England Club singles on four occasions.
She will play Czech 21st seed Marie Bouzkova for a place in the quarter-finals.
The 30-year-old’s best run in a Grand Slam singles tournament is a 2018 Australian Open semi-final appearance.
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