Wimbledon: Third Seed Alexander Zverev Suffers Stunning Exit, Petra Kvitova's Farewell Ends In Defeat

Alexander Zverev suffered his earliest Grand Slam exit since 2019 as the German third seed was stunned by France's Arthur Rinderknech in the Wimbledon first round on Tuesday. Zverev, a three-time Grand Slam runner-up, slipped to a shock 7-6 (7/3), 6-7 (8/10), 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-4 defeat against the world number 72 in a marathon clash lasting four hours and 40 minutes on Centre Court. The 28-year-old is the highest-ranked seed to fall so far in this year's men's singles at the All England Club.

Zverev, who reached the Australian Open final in January, endured his latest Wimbledon flop in a tie that initially started on Monday evening.

When play was halted due to Wimbledon's 2200 GMT curfew, the match was level at one-set all.

But Rinderknech seized his chance once play resumed in the blazing London heat on Tuesday afternoon.

Rinderknech hit 25 aces and although Zverev replied with 31 of his own, it was not enough to stave off an embarrassing defeat.

Zverev has failed to make it past the fourth round at Wimbledon in nine visits to the grass-court major.

He had reached at least the second round in his previous 20 Grand Slam appearances.

Olympic champion out

Zheng Qinwen admitted she was not focused enough after the Chinese Olympic champion slumped to a shock first-round Wimbledon defeat against world number 81 Katerina Siniakova on Tuesday.

Zheng exited in the opening round for a third straight year, losing 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 to the unheralded Czech in two hours and 25 minutes in searing heat on Court Three.

It is the fourth time in her past six Grand Slam appearances that Zheng has failed to get past the third round, a barren run interrupted by quarter-final runs at the 2024 US Open and this year's French Open.

"I should do better in my service games. I was leading 5-3 in the first set and my concentration was not there. I gave her the game so easily. It's a pity," Zheng said.

"On grass you don't get too many chances to come back. I should have taken my chances better but I'm not going to let this enter my mind. It's just one match I lost at Wimbledon.

"I made a lot of mistakes. I made the match complicated. The weather was very hot but I believe I should have been more focused on the court. Maybe I should work more to be focused in the heat."

After finishing as Australian Open runner-up to Aryna Sabalenka last year, Zheng won Olympic gold on the Paris clay in August, beating Donna Vekic in the final.

The 22-year-old, sixth in the WTA rankings, has fared less well on the grass courts of south-west London.

Following her latest Wimbledon flop against Siniakova, the Chinese star has never been past the third round in four visits to the All England Club.

Kvitova Knocked Out

Petra Kvitova's Wimbledon farewell ended in an emotional defeat as the two-time champion was beaten 6-3, 6-1 by Emma Navarro in the first round on Tuesday.

Kvitova returned from maternity leave in February following the birth of her son Petr in 2024, but found it difficult to handle the demands of being a mother on the gruelling tennis circuit.

The 35-year-old Czech announced last week that she will bring the curtain down on her career after the US Open in August.

Kvitova's decision gave the former world number two, who has won 31 titles in her career, one last opportunity to return to the scene of her Wimbledon triumphs.

But American 10th seed Navarro ruined her hopes of a long Wimbledon goodbye with a clinical 60-minute victory on Court One.

Kvitova could not hold back the tears when she was given a standing ovation by the crowd, responding with a wave before drying her eyes.

"It's very special to play on this beautiful court one more time. I wish I could play a little bit longer but it's OK, whatever" she said as more tears flowed.

"This place holds the best memories I could wish for. I never dreamt of winning Wimbledon. 

"I will miss Wimbledon for sure, I will miss tennis but I'm ready for the next chapter as well. 

"I can't wait to be back here as a member. Thank you very much Wimbledon."

A raw 21-year-old when she stunned Maria Sharapova to win the 2011 Wimbledon final, three years later Kvitova returned to the All England Club title match to rout Eugenie Bouchard 6-3, 6-0.

Now ranked 572, Kvitova has lost eight of her nine matches since becoming a parent.

But she says Wimbledon means "everything to me", an emotional connection forged not just in her tennis triumphs but also because her engagement to her coach Jiri Vanek took place on Centre Court in 2022.

She rolled back the years at the start of the first set, racing into a 3-1 lead with a series of blistering winners.

But the left-hander is no longer the force of old and she lost five games in a row with a host of unforced errors as Navarro took the set.

By the time Kvitova lost the first two games of the second set, her fate was almost sealed.

She managed one last echo of yesteryear, holding serve in the third game and celebrating with a clenched fist.

That show of defiance was Kvitova's final fling as a double-fault finished her All England Club career.

She bowed out with a kiss to her family in the players' box before leaving the Wimbledon stage for the last time.