When world No. 1 Angelique Kerber lost 6-2 6-2 to 40th-ranked Ekaterina Makarova in the 2017 French Open, she became the first top-seeded woman to lose in the opening round of the French Open since the sport turned professional in 1968. We look at five other similar shock exits in the opening round of Grand Slam events.
Steffi Graf, Wimbledon 1994
A shocker no one saw coming. Steffi Graf became the first defending champion in 108 years of Wimbledon history to crash out of the opening round in women’s singles. The victor was the 22nd ranked American Lori McNeil, who beat Graf 7-5, 7-6 (7-5) in an hour and 43 minutes (the game was also twice interrupted by showers). Graf had sealed the previous three Wimbledon titles, won the Australian Open earlier in the year and reached the semifinals in the French Open. She more than made up for her Wimbledon washout by winning the title the following year.
Stefan Edberg, US Open, 1990
The Wimbledon champion that year, Stefan Edberg, entered the US Open as the top seed. He went down in the first round to 52nd-ranked Alexander Volkov of the Soviet Union, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3), 6-2. It was a funny old year for the Swede. He began by finishing the runner-up in the Australian Open, crashing out in the first round of the French Open before winning Wimbledon. And then he came a full circle at Flushing Meadows.
Martina Hingis, Wimbledon, 1999
World No. 1 Martina Hingis went down in embarrassing fashion in straight sets 6-2, 6-0 in just 54 minutes to a player younger than her – 16-year-old Australian Jelena Dokic, a qualifier who was ranked 129. Hingis began the year well by winning the Australian Open but she didn’t win many admirers following her tantrum in the French Open final, losing to Steffi Graf. Her strained relationship with her mom began to tell on her game in London.
Lleyton Hewitt, Wimbledon, 2003
Australian Lleyton Hewitt became only the second defending men's singles champion and top seed ever to lose in the first round of Wimbledon. Hewitt went down 1-6, 7-6, 6-3, 6-4 to Croatian Ivo Karlovic, ranked 203 at the time. Hewitt had earlier lost in the third round in the French Open. He did better in the US Open though, reaching the Quarter Final.
Rafael Nadal, Wimbledon, 2013
The French Open champion Rafael Nadal crashed out in straight sets to 135th ranked Belgian Steve Darcis 7-6 (4), 7-6 (8), 6-4. He ended Nadal's 22-match winning streak and it was the first time the Spaniard lost a match in the opening round of a Grand Slam.
