It’s over for Cibulkova

Dominika Cibulkova today became the highest women’s singles seed to fall so far when the 13th ranked Slovakian was beaten in straight sets by first-round rival Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic.

Cibulkova, who at 5ft 3ins is the shortest player in the top 100, last year reached new career heights when she beat No1 seed Caroline Wozniacki on the way to the quarter-finals here, where she fell to Maria Sharapova.

The 23-year-old also made the last eight at both the French Open last month and the Hertogenbosch grass court tournament two weeks ago.

But form counted for nothing against Zakopalova, the 30-year-old semi-finalist at Eastbourne, who won 6-4, 6-1 in 66 minutes on Court 19.

On the nearby Court 14, Serbia’s 14th seed Ana Ivanovic was forced to fight all the way for a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory over Spaniard Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez.

Neither Ivanovic, a Wimbledon semi-finalist in 2007 and French Open champion the following year, nor Martinez Sanchez rewarded their audience with the best of tennis.