Two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray bowed out in the second round of the 2022 Championships to John Isner in four sets on day three.
The former world number one had never failed to reach the third round of Wimbledon before Wednesday's contest, but that streak was broken as Isner prevailed 6-4 7-6 [7-4] 6-7 [3-7] 6-4.
The big-serving Isner - all 6ft 10in of him - took advantage of Murray's lacklustre first serves to break in the third game of the contest and eventually see out the opening set with aplomb.
At one stage, Murray only had a 40% first-serve win rate to boast about, but a couple of aces helped the Brit up his ranking in that regard as the second set went all the way to a tie-break.
This time, it was Isner to demonstrate his first-serve prowess to clinch the two set-winning points and leave Murray with a mountain to climb to keep his hopes of a third-round place alive.
The 2013 and 2016 champion successfully served to stay in the match in an equally tight third set to ensure another pivotal tie-break, which he performed valiantly in to reduce the deficit.
A shocking backhand miss from Murray at the net handed Isner the opportunity to break first in the fourth set, which the American took. Murray did all he could for the remainder of the set, but Isner would seal the win with a backhand slice.
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There was to be no fairytale story for British number one Emma Raducanu either, as the 19-year-old fell at the second hurdle to Bad Homburg Open champion Caroline Garcia 3-6 3-6.
The explosive and aggressive Garcia broke Raducanu straight away before the British number one started to shake off the cobwebs in the first set, but her revival would not last for long.
Garcia - who was not afraid to come deep inside the baseline when receiving - missed one set point but comfortably converted her next with a passing backhand to gain a deserved advantage.
Raducanu would also be up against it when a mishit forehand into the tramlines allowed Garcia to break for a 3-2 lead in the second set, but an almost identical shot from the former world number four would allow Raducanu to respond immediately.
However, the US Open champion was broken again - struggling to clear the net when being forced down low - and Garcia's wonderfully-hit cross-court winner saw her take the first match point on offer.
Current and six-time champion Novak Djokovic opened proceedings on centre court against Australia's Thanasi Kokkinakis, and the 20-time Grand Slam winner would ease into round three via a 6-1 6-4 6-2 victory.
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After breezing his way through a comfortable first set, Djokovic took just three games to earn the first break in the second but failed to take his opening opportunity to wrap up the set after a pair of Kokkinakis double faults.
The defending champion would be forced to serve for the second set and did so as Kokkinakis returned long, and he secured the double break in the third when the Australian's backhand slice could only find the net.
Kokkinakis found the time for a humorous gesture as Djokovic moved one point away from the match - which the 26-year-old saved - but Djokovic took his second chance to close the contest as Kokkinakis could only return wide from his serve.
Grass-court starlet Ryan Peniston kicked off the day's British action against American Steve Johnson, but the wildcard's luck ran out in a comprehensive three-set defeat to his opponent.
Peniston failed to earn a single break in his 3-6 2-6 4-6 defeat, as Johnson impressively posted a 79% win rate on his second serve and clinched a spot in the third round with his 14th ace of the day.
Later on, Cameron Norrie made it to round three after overcoming Jaume Munar 6-4 3-6 5-7 6-0 6-2 in a five-set thriller, while Heather Watson was a game away from beating Wang Qiang before play was suspended for the day. Meanwhile, Harriet Dart's delayed first-round match ended in a 6-1 6-4 success against Spain's Rebeka Masarova.
There was a shock early in the day, as women's second seed Anett Kontaveit lost 4-6 0-6 to Germany's Jule Niemeier, while French Open runner-up Casper Ruud lost 6-3 2-6 5-7 4-6 to Ugo Humbert.
> Click here for a roundup of day two's action
Ben Knapton
