LONDON — In a surprising turn of events, Elena Rybakina, the reigning Wimbledon champion from 2022, was knocked out in the third round by Elise Mertens, losing 7-6 (4), 6-1 at the prestigious grass-court Grand Slam on Saturday.
As the No. 2 seed, Rybakina holds the distinction of being the highest-ranked player in the women’s tournament to exit early, solidifying Aryna Sabalenka’s grip on the No. 1 ranking as the tournament progresses.
Looking ahead, Rybakina is set to take on Naomi Osaka in the fourth round this Sunday.
From Belgium, Mertens is seeded at No. 25 and is a two-time doubles champion at Wimbledon.
Later in the day, tennis legends Serena and Venus Williams are scheduled to compete in a doubles match against Camila Osorio and Solana Sierra. Tournament organizers have not yet specified a court but indicated that the match will commence after 4:30 p.m. local time.
