Stan Wawrinka became the latest big name to suffer an early exit from Wimbledon as he went down to tournament debutant Reilly Opelka in the second round.
Wawrinka - who has never won Wimbledon and has now failed to reach the third round for four straight years - looked on course for a routine win after fighting back from losing the first set.
But Opelka rallied to clinch a 7-5, 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 8-6 victory in three hours and 13 minutes.
Wawrinka vs Opelka - As it happened
World number 19 Wawrinka started Wednesday's encounter on No.2 Court in sluggish fashion, with the American breaking serve in the 11th game. Opelka could not keep up his form in the next two sets, however, but the 2015 boys' champion broke the Swiss star – seeded at 22 - again to force a fifth set.
After Opelka held his nerve on serve to edge into a 7-6 lead, the 21-year-old made the most of three match points when Wawrinka sent a weak forehand into the net.
Wawrinka joins the likes of Naomi Osaka, Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and French Open finalist Dominic Thiem in slumping out in the opening rounds.
Opelka, meanwhile, will face Milos Raonic in his next match.
Wawrinka pragmatic after early exit
The 34-year-old Swiss Wawrinka took his early exit on the chin after Opelka consigned him to a 7-5 3-6 4-6 6-4 8-6 loss.
After the match he said: "I never said I was ready to win Wimbledon. I said that was my goal. I come every year with the challenge to play the best I can. I played in the quarter-final twice," said Wawrinka, who has won the other three majors.
"If not, I lost first round, second round. I know how tough it is to win a grand slam. I'm really happy with everything I've achieved all my career by winning three grand slams in the same era of the big four."
British number one Edmund bows out
Kyle Edmund started well on Centre Court, breezing through the first two sets 6-4 6-4, but a knee injury derailed his performance.
And despite playing on after receiving treatment, Edmund could not hold off Verdasco, who fought back to secure victory over three hours and 43 minutes.
"I am a little tired. It's never easy to beat a player like Kyle," Verdasco told BBC Sport after his win. "The match was pretty complicated in the first and second set, and I was just trying to stay in the match and keep fighting, even if things weren't going my way but I was able to come back slowly point after point."
Comments
SHARE