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The drama and the upsets continue at Wimbledon as several top seeds continue to crash out in the early rounds.
It is so often a place where magic moments can happen, and the very best in the world can suddenly find themselves on the end of a very embarrassing and premature exit.
In previous years, Roger Federer was stunned by Sergiy Stakhovsky in the second round in 2013, as the Ukrainian produced a serve-and-volley masterclass to dump out the defending champion and eight-time winner at the All England Club.
Serena Williams, who has come out of her four-year retirement to play at this summer’s Championships, was shocked by Sabine Lisicki in the last 16 in 2013, as her 34-match unbeaten streak was brought to a crushing end.
Nick Kyrgios exploded onto the scene with his victory over Rafael Nadal the following year, becoming the first man outside the top 100 to defeat a world No1 at a major tournament since 1992.
But who has suffered a similar fate this time around?
In the men’s draw, Ben Shelton lost a thrilling five-set battle with Otto Virtanen.
Shelton was the fourth seed and reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals last year, but his campaign ended at the first hurdle this time.
The American lost a fifth set tie-break as Virtanen held his nerve to win 6-4 3-6 6-7(8) 6-2 7-6(9), but the Fin was beaten by Britain’s Arthur Fery in his next match.
Early exit: Ben SheltonPAAndrey Rublev, the 12th seed, was defeated in a marathon five-setter by his Russian compatriot Roman Safiullin, who emerged 6-4 6-7(6) 3-6 6-3 7-6(12) victor over on Court 17.
24th seed and rising star Joao Fonseca, who defeated Novak Djokovic in a thrilling five-set quarter-final at the French Open, was beaten by Safiullin on Court No2, 6-3 6-3 6-3.
Rafael Jodar, the 23rd seed, was beaten in stunning fashion out on Court No18 by Japanese qualifier Shinataro Mochizuki, who survived a first-set thrashing to emerge victorious 1-6 7-6(5) 6-4 6-4.
On Court No3, three-time Grand Slam finalist Casper Ruud was dumped out in straight sets by the heavy-hitting Hubert Hurkacz, falling 6-4 6-2 7-6(8) to the Pole.
Cameron Norrie, the British No1, was also stunned in five sets by the American qualifier Michael Zheng.
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The 22-year-old played out of his skin to upset the home favourite - who was carrying British men’s hopes almost by himself following Jack Draper’s late withdrawal - and he claimed one of the biggest wins of his young career as he ousted the No26 seed on Court No2, coming through 6-7(7) 6-2 6-7(2) 6-3 7-6(4).
30th seed Alejandro Tabilo was beaten by the Pole Kamil Majchrzak in straighht sets on Court No5, 6-3 7-5 7-5.
14th seed Luciano Darderi fell to American Ethan Quinn 7-6(7) 7-5 6-2, while 31st seed Ignacio Buse, in the same bracket, was knocked out by the American Jenson Brooksby 6-2 6-2 6-3.
Brandon Nakashima, the 28th seed, was beaten by the big-serving German Jan-Lennard Struff 4-6 7-6(6) 7-6(5) 6-7(8) 7-6(7), and his compatriot, the 16th seed and rising star Learner Tien, was overpowered by the Hungarian Marton Fuscovics 6-7(6) 6-4 7-6(4) 6-3.
Jakub Mensik, the 15th seed, saw experience overcome youthful exuberance as Grigor Dimitrov, returning to the All England Club after tearing his pec last year, defeated him in four sets, 7-6(5) 4-6 7-5 6-3.
Grass-court specialist and 2021 finalist Matteo Berrettini knocked out 20th seed Arthur Fils 6-4 7-5 3-6 6-3, and he meets Berrettini in a mouth-watering encounter in the last 16.
18th seed and former Eastbourne champion Francisco Cerundolo, just the third Argentine ever to win a grass-court title, was beaten comprehensively in the first round by Jaume Munar 6-1 6-4 6-3.
On the women’s side, several seeds have already fallen.
It did not take long for the third round in the women’s singles bracket to produce a surprise result, as reigning champion Iga Swiatek’s title defence came to an early end with a straight sets defeat by Filipina contender Alexandra Eala.
French Open champion Mirra Andreeva, the fifth seed, was knocked out by 2024 champion Barbora Krejcikova 4-6 7-5 6-4 in a Centre Court stunner, while 22nd seed Leylah Fernandez, who Emma Raducanu beat in the 2021 US Open final, was ousted by Janice Tjen 6-1 7-6(3).
On Sunday evening, the world No1 was gone, as Aryna Sabalenka was thrashed 6-2 7-6(2) by Naomi Osaka on Centre Court.
Maja Chwalinska, who emerged from nowhere to reach the final of the French Open, was stunned by the Indonesian Mananchaya Sawangkaew 2-6 7-5 6-2 on Court 12, and 28th seed Ann Li also tumbled out as Zeynep Sonmez bested her 7-5 1-6 6-4 on Court 15.
Danish 24th seed Clara Tauson was defeated by the former world No3 Maria Sakkari 6-3 6-3.
Britain’s Katie Boulter also sank to a premature exit, losing to the world No172 Tyla Caterina Grant - the 18-year-old, who finds herself 112 places below the British No2 in the WTA rankings - 6-4 6-2.
Katerina Siniakova, the 32nd seed, was beaten by her Czech compatriot Nikola Bartunkova 6-2 6-4, and 27th-ranked Anastasia Potapova was stunned by Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-2 6-3.
Elina Svitolina, the eighth seed and two-time semi-finalist at the All England Club, was shocked by her Ukrainian compatriot Daria Snigur 7-5 6-2, and Queen’s Club winner Donna Vekic saw her grass-court dominance ended abruptly by Ashlyn Kreuger in the first round, with the American running out a 3-6 7-6(3) 6-4 victor.
This year’s French Open semi-finalist Diana Shnaider, the 15th seed, saw her Wimbledon campaign ended early by Liudmila Samsonova 6-4 4-6 6-2.

