Keys out as Wimbledon seeds keep falling

Madison Keys became the seventh woman seeded in the top 10 to crash out of Wimbledon as the American was stunned by Russian qualifier Evgeniya Rodina on Friday.

Published : Jul 06, 2018 20:09 IST , London

Russia's Evgeniya Rodina returns against Madison Keys at the Wimbledon in London on Friday.
Russia's Evgeniya Rodina returns against Madison Keys at the Wimbledon in London on Friday.
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Russia's Evgeniya Rodina returns against Madison Keys at the Wimbledon in London on Friday.

Madison Keys became the seventh woman seeded in the top 10 to crash out of Wimbledon as the American was stunned by Russian qualifier Evgeniya Rodina on Friday.

After defending champion Garbine Muguruza suffered a shock exit in the second round on Thursday, it was 10th seed Keys' turn to endure an unexpected 7-5, 5-7, 6-4 third round defeat.

Keys' departure comes hot on the heels of early exits for two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova, 2004 All England Club champion Maria Sharapova, world number two Caroline Wozniacki and US Open title holder Sloane Stephens.

Of the players seeded in the top 10 ahead of the tournament, only world number one Simona Halep, seventh seed Karolina Pliskova and five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams, seeded ninth, are left in the draw after just five days.

Serena Williams, the seven-time Wimbledon winner, is seeded 25th after her tentative return from the birth of her first child.

But the 36-year-old, who is in third round action against Kristina Mladenovic later on Thursday, is ranked as the bookmakers' favourite to lift her 24th major title.

Serena will play world number 120 Rodina if she advances to the fourth round.

Rodina won nine games in a row to move a set and two breaks ahead before Keys recovered from 4-0 down in the second set to set up a decider.

The 29-year-old Russian needed treatment after securing the decisive break in the final set, but she was able to block out the pain to seal her upset.

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