In one of the most stunning upsets of this year's Wimbledon Championships, world number one Iga Swiatek has crashed out in the third round after a thrilling battle against Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva.
The top seed and reigning French Open champion saw her remarkable 21-match winning streak come to a dramatic halt on Court No.1, falling 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 to the inspired world number 35.
A Match of Two Halves
Swiatek appeared to be in control after securing the first set 6-3, but the momentum shifted decisively in Putintseva's favour. The Kazakh player's aggressive baseline game and exceptional court coverage began to dismantle Swiatek's rhythm.
'I was just believing in myself every second of the match,' an elated Putintseva told the BBC after her victory. 'Even after I lost the first set, I felt I could push her and make her uncomfortable.'
The Streak Ends at SW19
This defeat marks Swiatek's earliest exit from a Grand Slam since Wimbledon 2022 and represents a significant setback on her least successful surface. The Polish superstar had arrived at SW19 riding high after triumphs in Madrid, Rome, and Roland-Garros.
Putintseva's victory sets up a fourth-round clash with Jelena Ostapenko, continuing her best-ever performance at The Championships.
Grass Court Questions Remain
This result will inevitably raise fresh questions about Swiatek's compatibility with grass-court tennis. Despite her dominance on clay and hard courts, Wimbledon remains the only major where she has yet to progress beyond the quarter-finals.
The women's draw is now wide open, with defending champion Markéta Vondroušová also exiting early, creating opportunities for several contenders to claim the Venus Rosewater Dish.
