Ivanovic suffers shock defeat

Ana Ivanovic's troubled passage through Wimbledon was brought to a dramatic halt today when she became the biggest casualty of this year's Championships so far.

The top seed was punished for an error-strewn display by being dumped out of the All England Club with a 1-6 4-6 defeat by Jie Zheng, a player ranked 133 in the world.

Zheng appeared to be half the size of her Serbian opponent but looks were deceiving as the world number 133 produced some ferocious shots from the baseline that belied her stature.

The problems continued for Ivanovic in the fourth when she conceded three break points as she continued to find the net with crippling frequency, double-faulting on the second.

Zheng was producing some fearsome strokes from the baseline and Ivanovic's frustration deepened when a Hawk-Eye challenge was rejected. Looking to steady the ship on her own serve, Ivanovic instead conceded another break point when Zheng made her pay for coming to the net.

She saved the danger but a minute later was back in trouble and when the net proved her undoing yet again, Zheng served to take the set. Ivanovic halted the slump by comfortably winning the opening game of the second set but by the third she was wobbling again.

Cranking up the power with her radar switched back on, she overwhelmed Zheng to win her first break game by concluding an enthralling rally.

The revival was short-lived, however, as Zheng's tenacity gave her a foothold in a marathon fifth and when break point arrived Ivanovic nudged the decisive shot wide. Serving for the match, Zheng overcame a shaky start to fire an unstoppable serve that landed the killer blow.

Elsewhere, Serena Williams took another step in the right direction with a 7-6 (7/5) 6-1 demolition of Amelie Mauresmo to set up a fourth-round meeting with fellow American Bethanie Mattek.

With seeds Maria Sharapova and Ivanovic having departed, the prospect of an all-Williams Wimbledon singles final remains an increasing possibility.