Venus's record 24th Wimbledon ends at first hurdle

LONDON: Five-time champion Venus Williams returned to Wimbledon a quarter of a century after her first win on the All England Club lawns but was unable to summon the old magic in a painful first-round defeat by Ukraine's Elina Svitolina on Monday (Jul 3).

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.

"Grass is inherently going to be slippery. You're going to fall at some point. It was just bad luck for me," former world number one Williams told reporters later.

"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 looked in serious trouble in the next as her bandaged right knee buckled under her while she moved to intercept a volley.

The Centre Court crowd winced as she crumpled to the turf, but after staggering back to her chair and receiving treatment the old warrior spirit kicked in and she battled on.

"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.

The 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