Ostapenko, Halep and Venus Williams march into last 32
Wednesday 5 July 2017 21:47, UK
Petra Kvitova's hopes of a third Wimbledon ladies' singles title were ended at the second-round stage by America's Madison Brengle.
Kvitova, who has made a positive return to tennis after suffering from a knife attack last December, went down 6-3 1-6 6-2 to Brengle.
The Czech has enjoyed a successful grass-court season as she won in Birmingham, but struggled to assert herself against her American opponent.
After Brengle took the opening set, Kvitova stormed back in the second by winning six games on the bounce.
It looked like being the perfect platform for the 11th seed to overcome her opponent, but Brengle secured two successive Kvitova service games to seal a memorable victory.
Brengle will next meet France's 21st seed Caroline Garcia, who saw off Romania's Ana Bogdan 6-4 6-3 on Wednesday.
Elsewhere in the second round, there was a victory for second seed Simona Halep, who becomes a strong favourite, against Brazil's Beatriz Haddad Maia.
Halep will next face China's Shuai Peng who defeated Spanish 25th seed Carla Suarez Navarro 6-2 6-2.
Venus Williams was made to work hard for her spot in the Wimbledon third round after coming from behind to defeat Chinese rising star Wang Qiang, eventually winning 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.
Williams will go on to face Japan's Naomi Osaka, who defeated experienced Czech 22nd seed Barbora Strycova 6-1 0-6 6-4, in Friday's third round.
Also through to the last 32 is French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko who battled through a three set clash with Francoise Abanda to set up a meeting with Camila Giorgi who shocked 17th seed Madison Keys.
Elina Svitolina, the fourth seed, underlined her grass court credentials with an emphatic 6-3 6-0 victory against Italian veteran Francesca Schiavone.
The Ukranian will next meet Carina Witthoeft after the unseeded German needed three sets to defeat Bulgaria's Aryna Sabalenka 7-6 3-6 6-3.
Eighth seed Dominika Cibulkova and 27th seed Ana Konjuh from Croatia will face each other in the last 32 after coming through their second-round encounters.
Cibulkova proved too strong for America's Jennifer Brady with a 6-4 6-4 victory, while Konjuh recovered from a disappointing second set to win 7-6(3), 2-6 6-3 against Irina-Camelia Begu.
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