TheCable

Serena Williams, world number one tennis player, has been sent packing from the ongoing Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil.

The defending Olympic champion lost in straight sets of 6-4, 6-3 to Elina Svitolina, a 21-year-old Ukrainian, in the third round of the competition.

On the night, disbelief reigned supreme in the Olympic Tennis Centre, as the 22-time Grand Slam winner fell to a player she had never lost to.

Serena’s unexpected defeat happened in the wake of yet another loss –Venus, her sister, lost in the first round of the tournament on Monday.

The loss marked their first-ever Olympic doubles defeat.

Speaking after her loss to Svitolina, the American said: “Obviously, I’m disappointed, but she played really well and I think the better player today won. But I can’t wait for next time, and I know next time is going to be a really good match and I look forward to it.

“It didn’t work out the way I wanted it to. But at least I was able to make it to Rio. That was one of my goals.”

Svitolina, who is ranked number 20 in the world, will now face Petra Kvitova, two-time Wimbledon champion for a place in the semi-finals.

For the first time, Williams leaves the Olympics without a medal. In 2000, 2008 and 2012, she won the Doubles medal and the Singles medal in 2012.

She was forced to pull out of the 2004 Olympic games after suffering a knee injury.