Five-time champion Venus Williams returned to Wimbledon a quarter of a century and crashed out in her opening match on Monday.
The 43-year-old American, contesting the Wimbledon singles for a record 24th time, still retains the easy power that once made her the queen of Centre Court but succumbed 6-4 6-3 after a nasty early fall hindered her movement.
“I started the match perfectly. I was literally killing it, then I got killed by the grass.”
Williams, whose last Wimbledon title was in 2008 against sister Serena, won the opening two games.
But she looked in serious trouble in the next as her bandaged right knee buckled under her while she moved to intercept a volley.
“I’m not sure what I’ve done. I’m going to have to investigate it tomorrow. It’s late today. But it was quite painful,” she said.
The 28-year-old Svitolina, who at least was born when Venus first appeared at Wimbledon, unlike 53 players in the women’s draw, won four games in a row and took the opening set despite a fierce struggle to hold serve at 5-4.
Williams had more treatment before the start of set two but dropped serve immediately with a forehand into the net.
According to ReutersThe crowd offered plenty of vocal encouragement, one fan shouting “You’ve still got it Venus” as she fought to extend the 355th Grand Slam singles match of her career — a total surpassed only by her sister Serena (423).
But former world number three Svitolina, who enjoyed a fairytale comeback from maternity leave by reaching the French Open quarter-finals last month, was ultimately just too sharp as she moved into a 5-1 lead.
Williams, who also won the title in 2000, 2001, 2005 and 2007, went down swinging, unleashing some thunderous strokes to claw back two games and hint at a fightback.
Asked if she had considered pulling out after her slip, Williams said her only thought had been trying to figure out a way to win.
“Try to fight to live another day,” she said.