French Open champions crash out on Wimbledon

French Open champions Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova fell flat on Tuesday with upset losses in the Wimbledon Championships fourth round, with their conquerors lining up next against Canadian opposition.

Rafael Nadal of Spain facing defeat by Nick Kyrgios of Australia in their fourth round match during the Wimbledon Championships. Photo by EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA
Rafael Nadal of Spain facing defeat by Nick Kyrgios of Australia in their fourth round match during the Wimbledon Championships. Photo by EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA

Australian wild card Nick Kyrgios, aged 19 and ranked 144th, stunned Nadal with a serving display of 38 aces in a 7-6 (7-5), 5-7, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 defeat of the second seed. It followed by a year the Spaniard's first-round defeat on the grass.

He next plays eighth seed Milos Raonic, who sent over 34 aces in his defeat of tenth seed Kei Nishikori 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 to become the first Canadian man to reach this stage at Wimbledon.

Five-time grand slam winner Sharapova went down in a battle with ninth seed Angelique Kerber 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 6-4 as the German won on her seventh match point.

Kerber had not been past the fourth round of a major since her 2012 Wimbledon semi-final and next plays Canadian Eugine Bouchard.                           

Sharapova, the 2004 Wimbledon champion, had won 22 of 23 matches since April, including Roland Garros.

"I always consider myself one of the favorites because I've won Grand Slams before; been number one," said Sharapova. "It's absolutely normal for people to have high expectations of me doing well in Grand Slam stages.             "I certainly do, as well.  Today could have gone either way, and it didn't go my way."

Kyrgios became the first man ranked outside the top 100 to beat a world number one at a grand slam since 1992.

The youngster admitted he played a special match which lasted just under three hours.

"I was in the zone, I didn't notice the crowd or anything. I played some extraordinary tennis. I was struggling on return but I worked my way into the match. I played at a good level all the way through.

"You've got to go into the matches believing you can win. I'm not going to think about the next one (Wednesday against fellow big-hitter Milos Raonic).

"I want to soak this one up and then get ready for the next one,"

Switzerland's grand slam winning pair Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka reached their fourth career meeting at a major as each crushed opponents in straight sets.

Federer, bidding for his eighth title, was ruthless with Spain's Tommy Robredo in a 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 victory which included a perfect 21-minute opening set in which the fourth seed won all 20 of his service points.

The 32-year-old remains the only player in the men's field not to have his serve broken.

Wawrinka, the Australian Open winner seeded fifth, beat Spain's Feliciano Lopez 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (9-7), 6-3 to set up the clash with Federer.

"It will be amazing playing Stan here," said Federer, who lost to his countryman in April's Monte Carlo final. "That (matchup) doesn't happen a lot on Swiss sporting terms.

"I feel good on court, my game is right there. I've not had any hiccups or letdowns, I feel really focused.

"We're into the quarter-finals and now the tournament starts for real."

2013 women's finalist Sabine Lisicki opened with a German win as she beat Yaroslava Shvedova 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 to reach the last eight.

Lisicki made a dramatic call for the trainer mid-serve in the third game of the final set while down a break point, halting her motion and going to the sidelines for treatment on her right shoulder.

The controversial - but technically legal - move resulted in success, with Lisicki winning the game upon resumption and stuttering on to take the victory with 33 unforced errors and 29 winners against her confused Kazakh opponent.