Pliskova’s out, now Jo is favourite
KAROLINA PLISKOVA’S shock loss to Magdalena Rybarikova on Centre Court yesterday leaves Great Britain’s Jo Konta as favourite to win the women’s singles. World No 3 Pliskova (below) was the 4-1 market leader with the bookmakers before snatching defeat from the jaws of victory after being a set up and a break up. The elimination of the Czech took Konta’s odds to around 6-1 last night. That put her ahead of a group of players including five-time former champion Venus Williams, world No 1 Angelique Kerber and world No 2 Simona Halep. Rybarikova, 28, the world No 87, produced some stunning shots in a compelling contest to win 3-6, 7-5, 6-2. In the deciding game she ran, span and hit some wonderful shots at the net to crack the Pliskova serve for a final time. Kerber lost in last year’s final to Serena Williams but looked vulnerable on Court No 1 yesterday, struggling to deal with Kirsten Flipkens’s unorthodox ground strokes in a 7-5, 7-5 win. Ninth seed Agnieszka Radwanska also wobbled against Christina McHale, battling back to win 5-7, 7-6, 6-3. Garbine Muguruza could lie in wait for Kerber or Radwanska in the quarter-finals after breezing past Yanina Wickmayer 6-2, 6-4.