ELENA RYBAKINA LOSES TO ELISE MERTENS IN WIMBLEDON UPSET

Elena Rybakina, the second seed and 2022 Wimbledon champion, exited the tournament in the third round after losing to Belgian player Elise Mertens. The match ended 7-6 (4) 6-1 on Court No. 1. Rybakina had won her previous six matches against Mertens but was unable to extend that streak. The defeat marked what sources described as the biggest upset of the tournament to date.

Rybakina arrived at Wimbledon following a period of inconsistent results. She lost in the second round at the Berlin tournament to Alexandra Eala and reached the quarter-finals at Queen's before losing to Katie Boulter. At the French Open the previous month, she suffered a second-round defeat to unseeded player Yuliia Starodubtseva. Rybakina had won the Australian Open in January by defeating Aryna Sabalenka and holds the title of this season's Australian Open champion. Reaching at least the quarter-finals at Wimbledon would have given her a chance to overtake Sabalenka at the top of the WTA rankings.

Mertens, the 30-year-old Belgian and reigning Wimbledon doubles champion, produced a dominant display in the second set, winning nine consecutive points at one stage. She completed the victory with an ace while serving for the match. Mertens will face Czech player Marie Bouzkova in the next round as she pursues what she aims to be her best performance at Wimbledon.