Maria’s out but Katie marches on
FORMER champion Maria Sharapova crashed out to qualifier Vitalia Diatchenko last night.
The 31-year-old, who won the title in 2004 as a teenager, was playing her first Wimbledon for three years after a
15-month drugs ban. Sharapova saw the world
No.132 roar back after losing the first set to win 6-7 (3-7),
7-6 (7-3), 6-4 on Court Two. A demoralised Sharapova eventually lost the match with a double fault.
But Diatchenko, 27, was ecstatic after recording her first win at Wimbledon in a late-night thriller against her fellow Russian.
Brit Katie Boulter also claimed a first Wimbledon win to follow close pal Katie Swan into the second round.
The 21-year-old wildcard from Leicester, one of a golden crop of young Brits surging up the WTA rankings, was featured in the glamour magazine Vogue last week.
And the world No.122 dug deep to fashion a victory over Paraguay’s Veronica Cepede Royg 6-4 5-7 6-4. Boulter blew a match point in the second set but made no mistake in the decider.
“I am ecstatic after getting my first win at Wimbledon, it is something I’ve dreamed about my whole life,” said Boulter.
“It was tough not getting the match point in the second set, but I found a way and I am a good competitor – that helped me. I will never give up, no matter what the score.”
Brit wildcard Naomi Broady went down 6-2 7-5 to the defending champion Garbine Muguruza of Spain on Centre Court. The 28-year-old from Stockport said: “It was a privilege. I love playing in front of a crowd.”
Southampton’s Gabriella Taylor, 20, lost 0-6 6-4 3-6 to Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard, the 2014 runner-up who is now 188 in the rankings.
In the men’s draw, Jay Clarke was left gutted after losing a five-set thriller to Latvian Ernests Gulbis.
The 19-year-old from Derby, who went down 6-4 3-6 6-7 6-3 4-6, said: “He’s been 10 in the world, so I can take something from it.”