Former champion Maria Sharapova was knocked out of Wimbledon in the first round yesterday by world number 132 and fellow Russian Vitalia Diatchenko.
It was Sharapova’s first ever defeat in the opening round at the All England Club and it came as she made her return to the tournament after a three-year absence.
She went down 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 having led by a set and 5-2. Diatchenko, who came through qualifying, will face Sofia Kenin of the United States for a place in the last 32.
Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic did his best to finish off his first-round match at Wimbledon in time for Court One fans to head off to watch England’s World Cup clash with Colombia yesterday. The Serbian just failed but a 6-3 6-1 6-2 defeat of American Tennys Sandgren was an impressive way to kick off his challenge for a fourth title at the All England Club.
Djokovic, 31, is seeded 12th here — his lowest Wimbledon seeding — but after a problematic 12 months since pulling out of last year’s tournament with an elbow injury there are signs that the former world number one is coming back to form. He was clinical against the 57th-ranked Sandgren who was making his Wimbledon debut and who had played only one Tour match on grass prior to arriving in London.
When he moved a double break ahead in the third set the end seemed imminent but Sandgren rescued one break to delay the inevitable before Djokovic finished with a flourish.




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