Zheng in big upset win over Ivanovic

Source: Agencies  |   2008-6-28  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

WORLD No. 1 Ana Ivanovic's luck finally ran out at Wimbledon yesterday when she was toppled 1-6, 4-6 in the third round by Zheng Jie.

Forty-eight hours after the Serb saved two match points against Nathalie Dechy, the second with the help of a netcord, she suffered an astonishing meltdown on Court One.

The French Open champion struggled to keep the ball in play as she either sprayed errors off the court or scooped shots into the net with alarming regularity. The 133rd-ranked Zheng could hardly believe her eyes when Ivanovic shovelled a service return into the net to gift her the first set in 30 minutes.

It was all over 42 minutes later when Ivanovic miscued a shot high into the sky on match point.

Earlier, Roger Federer successfully navigated the third round and the first week at Wimbledon, steaming past French challenger Marc Gicquel 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 yesterday.

The world No. 1 needs four more victories next week to set a modern era record of six men's titles in a row and on yesterday's showing is in no mood to let the opportunity slip.

He captured the first set with a booming ace and the second, after two breaks of serve, with a screaming forehand winner.

With the 53rd-ranked Gicquel completely out of his depth, the Swiss master sailed through the third with two breaks to claim his 62nd grasscourt victory in a row.

Also, Russian No. 4 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova eased into the fourth round with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over fiery Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycova who became enraged with the slippery court.

Kuznetsova, the highest-ranked Russian after Maria Sharapova's exit, played a patchy and inconsistent game but it was enough to overwhelm her 109-ranked opponent.

But another Czech Nicole Vaidisova continued to rediscover her form here, beating Australian Casey Dellacqua 6-2, 6-4.