Marketa Vondrousova follows Steffi Graf in an unwelcome portion of…

Vondrousova was a surprise winner at the All England Club last year and returned to Centre Court on Tuesday to begin her title defence, but she struggled physically and lost 6-4, 6-2 in 67 minutes.

Vondrousova became only the second defending Wimbledon champion to lose in the first round, following Graf’s loss to Lori McNeil in 1994.

Prior to her 2023 victory, Vondrousova had only won one main-draw match in SW19 and had arrived in the capital following an injury scare in Berlin two weeks before.

World number six Vondrousova declared before the event that she was totally fit, but she hit three double faults in her opening serve game and was broken right away.

Further breaks were exchanged between the two, but Spaniard Bouzas Maneiro, ranked 83rd in the world, won the victory within 40 minutes.

Vondrousova sent down another double-fault at the start of the second set, which was broken again, and she appeared to be agitated with her deteriorating health.

It did not deter Bouzas Maneiro, who continued to play her shots, and the 21-year-old sealed a stunning first grand slam triumph with a superb backhand winner that brushed the white chalk, much to the joy of Centre Court.

Vondrousova had a different experience, as she sprinted off the court after her title defence ended in just over an hour.