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WIMBLEDON

Muguruza shocked by Cepelova at Wimbledon

The French Open champion fell to a surprise straight-sets defeat to Slovakian qualifier Jana Cepelova in the second round at SW19 on Thursday.

Update:
Muguruza shocked by Cepelova at Wimbledon
TONY O'BRIENREUTERS

Spaniard Garbine Muguruza was sensationally knocked out of Wimbledon by Slovakian qualifier Jana Cepelova on Thursday.

Second seed Muguruza, bidding to add success at SW19 to her French Open crown, succumbed 6-3 6-2 to Cepelova in their second-round clash, in what is the surprise of the tournament so far.

Muguruza, who lost to Serena Williams in last year's final, had been one of the favourites for the title the but looked lacklustre, getting only 42 percent of first serves in and struggling with the accuracy of her baseline powershots.

She had laboured in the first round against Italy's Camila Giorgi, winning through in three sets, but had not lost against a player ranked outside the top 100 since last year.

Cepelova celebrates beating Muguruza.
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Cepelova celebrates beating Muguruza.GLYN KIRKAFP

However, Cepelova, ranked 124th, brought all the pedigree that helped her down then world number three Simona Halep in the first round last year to Court One, racing through the match in 59 minutes.

Muguruza's defeat removed one of the biggest challengers to Serena Williams's Wimbledon defence and the American's attempt to equal Steffi Graf's Open era record of 22 grand slams.

Williams, the 36-year-old eighth seed, next plays Russian 29th seed Darya Kasatkina for a place in the last 16.

German fourth seed and Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber beat Varvara Lepchenko of the United States 6-1, 6-4.

There were also second round wins for fifth seed Simona Halep of Romania and US ninth-seed Madison Keys.