Jelena Jankovic became the latest high-profile casualty at Wimbledon as she lost to Tamarine Tanasugarn.
Thai veteran takes advantage of Serb's injury troubles
Jelena Jankovic became the latest high-profile casualty at Wimbledon as she lost to Tamarine Tanasugarn.
The second seed was visibly impeded by a knee injury as she collapsed to a 6-3 6-2 defeat on Court 18.
Tanasugarn, who herself needed treatment for a back complaint during the second set, is through to the quarter-finals for the first time.
Awaiting her is defending champion Venus Williams, who reached the last eight with a 6-2 6-4 win over Alisa Kleybanova.
Jankovic emerged for her fourth-round match with her left knee heavily strapped after suffering the injury in the early stages of her narrow victory over Caroline Wozniacki on Saturday.
The problem was clearly on her mind as she gave an error-strewn performance which handed victory to her opponent.
Crucial break
Jankovic failed to force a single break point as she struggled in the opening set, which Tamarine stole thanks to a break of serve in the sixth game.
As the unforced errors continued to flow from the second seed, Tamarine took full advantage by breaking twice for a commanding 4-1 lead in the second set.
Jankovic briefly rallied with a break to love in the sixth game, but Tamarine moved to the brink of victory by breaking for the fourth time in the next game.
The Thai veteran, who has reached the fourth round here on six previous occasions but has never gone further in any Grand Slam, comfortably served out the match.
Jankovic later launched a scathing attack on the tournament organisers, accusing them of ignoring her pleas for a later start to enable her to undergo treatment on her knee.
She was also angered that she had to play on one of the outside courts and not on either of the showcourts.
"I don't know what they are doing to put Venus (Williams) on Court Two and I'm on Court 18, especially having an injury and asking for a favour to play a little bit later on in the day," she said.
"They didn't do it. So it was quite hard. I was almost playing in the parking lot. I almost need a helicopter to go to my court.
"When I saw that I'm on the schedule in the morning, and especially on Court 18, which was very unusual for a number two seed, I thought it was not really normal.
"I think the scheduling is not right. I think the number one and number two seeds should always be on these top showcourts.
"The ranking shows who deserves it. Who is in the top of the game should play on the top courts.
"It's also not normal that Venus plays on Court Two, and then Chakvetadze and Vaidisova, who are 18th seed and I don't know which seed, they are on Court One. I think it makes really no sense."
