Paszek sends Wozniacki crashing
Date published :
27 Jun 2012 - 19:47:57
Austria's Tamira Paszek saved two match points to send former world number one Caroline Wozniacki crashing out of Wimbledon under the Centre Court roof on Wednesday.
The 21-year-old Austrian, fresh from claiming the grasscourt title in Eastbourne at the weekend, prevailed in a three hour 12-minute marathon to win the first round clash 5-7, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4.
"I came here in a great rhythm from Eastbourne, but this was really tough," said Paszek, the world number 35.
"Caroline is a real fighter and a great competitor. It was tough under the roof because the court slows down but I gave it everything I had."
Defeat in a match which had been halted at 2-2 in the first set on Tuesday because of rain, ended a run of 20 successive Grand Slams where seventh-seeded Wozniacki had passed the first round.
Paszek, who won the first of her three career titles when she was just 15, goes on to face Alize Cornet of France for a place in the last 32.
Wozniacki was adamant that her romance with golfer Rory McIlroy wasn't the cause of her recent slump.
"No," she snapped when questioned by reporters.
