Rybarikova stuns Pliskova in second round

Magadalena Rybarikova completed a Centre Court boilover on Thursday to send the favoured Karolina Pliskova out of the tournament.

The Slovak, a former world No.31 now ranked 87th after injury struggles, beat the third-seeded Pliskova 3-6 7-5 6-2 in a magnificent display of blended offence and defence to blow the draw wide open.

“I had two surgeries and haven’t played for seven months. I’ve just beaten Karolina Pliskova. That is absolutely amazing,” Rybarikova said after setting up a third-round clash with Lesia Tsurenko.

2017 comeback
Rybarikova (8 months out, wrist) vs Tsurenko
Martic (10 months out, back) vs Diyas (8 months out, wrist)

one will be in QF

— Diego Barbiani (@Diego_Barbiani) July 6, 2017

Pliskova arrived at Wimbledon after winning the title at Eastbourne and was many people’s pick for the title.

Her favouritism strengthened when on Wednesday two-time champion and Birmingham winner Petra Kvitova departed the tournament.

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Yet Rybarikova had built up some momentum on grass of her own.

She won the $100,000 ITF titles in Surbiton and Ilkley – with a semifinal finish at the WTA event in Nottingham sandwiched in between – and came into the match with Pliskova having won 14 of her past 15 outings on the lawns.

On a hot, humid day in London, she outlasted the flat-footed Pliskova in a series of gruelling third-set rallies that had the Centre Court crowd enthralled.

Pliskova did enough to stay in contention in a final set that felt closer than the scoreline suggested, belting down winning first serves and doing her best to dictate points with her flat, powerful baseline drives.

But Rybarikova proved a superior mover and, armed with a wristy yet deceptively powerful forehand – as well as deploying skidding slices and showcasing strong net skills – was able to drag the flat-footed third seed into awkward positions on the court.

Pushed into a corner on match point, Rybarikova rolled a crosscourt backhand for a winner to complete victory in two hours and 18 minutes.

Oh. My. Word. ????????

Magdalena Rybarikova with the most stunning point of the tournament so far#NeverGiveUp #7tennis #wimbledon pic.twitter.com/eJ5dXYsnaY

— #7TENNIS ???? (@7tennis) July 6, 2017

“I think on grass she has really tricky game. I played one bad game overall in second set, (for) 6-all. Otherwise I don’t think I did something wrong,” Pliskova said.

“She just played a little bit better today. Still, I know I can play better than I was playing today. Even worse, I can play. So, yeah, just tough match.

“I think she’s very good on the net and with a slice backhand and overall serving. I think just her game is tough to play on the grass. I felt like she’s playing really clever today, using that slice, coming into the net, serving pretty well.

“It was just tough.”

Rybarikova’s last match before her injury came in a first-round Wimbledon loss to Eugenie Bouchard.

She didn’t reappear on tour until February this year when she played a lowly ITF event in Germany.

She has contested just three tour-level events in her comeback – Roland Garros, Nottingham and now Wimbledon.