Grass-challenged Stosur exits Wimbledon

Wimbledon, England – U.S. Open champion Sam Stosur was a second-round upset victim Wednesday at The Championships, Wimbledon.

Promising 21-year-old Dutchwoman Arantxa Rus knocked out the fifth-seeded Aussie Stosur 6-2, 0-6, 6-4 on Court 1 at the All England Club. Stosur has only ever reached the third round once in 10 tries on the grass in this London suburb and has suffered five first-round losses at tennis' most prestigious event.

Rus shocked former world No. 1 star Kim Clijsters in the second round at last year's French Open.

Meanwhile, 15th-seeded Sabine Lisicki overcame loud Serb Bojana Jovanovski 3-6, 6-2, 8-6. The German slugger Lisicki reached the Wimbledon semis a year ago.

Afterwards, Lisicki said Jovanovski makes more on-court noise than Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka, who are both well known for their screams and wails.

"It was distracting," Lisicki said. "You usually hear the sound of the ball but I couldn't hear it because of her grunting. That's why we have the hindrance rule.

"It was completely different from Sharapova or Azarenka but off-putting as well. Grunting is part of the game but it shouldn't be off-putting and be an advantage for the one who is doing it."

Rising American Sloane Stephens reached the third round with a 7-6 (8-6), 4-6, 6-3 upset of 23rd-seeded Czech Petra Cetkovska, while promising British favorite Heather Watson moved on with a 6-1, 6-4 second-round victory over American Jamie Hampton.

Tenth-seeded French Open runner-up Sara Errani of Italy reached the second round with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over American Coco Vandeweghe.

In other first-round action involving seeds, Czech veteran Klara Zakopalova ousted No. 13 Slovak Dominika Cibulkova 6-4, 6-1, No. 14 Serb Ana Ivanovic got past Spaniard Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, and No. 22 German Julia Goerges grounded Israeli Shahar Peer 6-2, 6-2. Ivanovic is a former world No. 1 and French Open champ.

Additional first-round wins came for Ukrainian Kateryna Bondarenko, Belarusian Olga Govortsova and France's Alize Cornet.