Wimbledon's Upsets Continue As Muguruza Eliminated

LONDON (CNN) - Defending women's champion Garbine Muguruza became yet another casualty in Wimbledon's second round. In fading light on a scorching Thursday in London, Muguruza was sent packing by a player who had never before collected a top 10 win, Alison Van Uytvanck (5-7 6-2 6-1).

Furthermore, the 47th ranked Belgian had only ever tallied one main draw win at Wimbledon in five previous trips.

Not since Steffi Graf in 1994 has the defending women's Wimbledon champion failed to reach at least the third round.

"I think she played big today," Muguruza told reporters on Thursday. "She took a lot of risk and it worked for her. I also think that my level today was not where I wanted it to be. That's also why she could develop that kind of level. But it's a little bit sad, because I wanted to really go out there."

The Spaniard went out on Court 2, modest when compared to the two main show courts, and Muguruza admitted that she would have preferred to compete on a grander court.

Van Uytvanck recovered from surrendering a break lead in the first set. Her serve, one of the biggest in the women's game, clicked in the final two sets as she claimed two-thirds of all her service points. Muguruza glared at her racket and muttered in frustration as her errors climbed.

Van Uytvanck duly served out the encounter with ease, despite saying that she was "dying" inside. "Confidence was there. I'm playing well the last couple of days, so that's what I took with me on the court," said Van Uytvanck, twice a titlist on the WTA tour. "In set two and three, I was just there mentally. I was in the zone and just hitting every ball, and it was going my way."

Muguruza departure followed losses by pre-tournament women's favorite Petra Kvitova, former champion Maria Sharapova and Caroline Wozniacki, although the Dane faced the ever dangerous Ekaterina Makarova. Six of the women's top 10 seeds are already gone.

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