Wozniacki, Stosur crash out
The bottom half of the women's draw opened up on Wednesday with fifth-seeded US Open champion Samantha Stosur and seventh-seeded Caroline Wozniacki both knocked out.
Stosur had never been past the third round in nine previous visits to the All England Club and that miserable sequence was extended with a 6-2, 0-6, 6-4 defeat against world number 72 Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands.
"This year I hated the grass a little bit less than in previous years," said Stosur, who was the last surviving Australian in the singles events.
"I still love playing at Wimbledon, but obviously it hasn't been my best tournament."
Tamira Paszek saved two match points to send Wozniacki crashing out in the first round under the Centre Court roof.
The 21-year-old Austrian, fresh from claiming the grasscourt title in Eastbourne at the weekend, prevailed in a three hour 12-minute marathon to win the first round clash 5-7, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4.
"I came here in a great rhythm from Eastbourne, but this was really tough," said Paszek, the world number 35 who was a quarterfinalist last year.
"Caroline is a real fighter and a great competitor. It was tough under the roof because the court slows down but I gave it everything I had."
Wozniacki, who hadn't lost in the first round of her last 20 majors, praised Paszek.
"It's not a nice feeling. It sucks when you lose, especially after having two match points. But I didn't play badly, she went for it and that's it," said the Dane.
But there were no problems for low-key third seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland who defeated Russia's Elena Vesnina, the first-round conqueror of Venus Williams, 6-2, 6-1.
Radwanska, who didn't commit one error, next meets Heather Watson who ended Britain's 10-year wait to have a woman in the third round by sweeping to a 6-1, 6-4 victory over America's Jamie Hampton.
"I'm just so pleased to get through that match. It definitely wasn't easy and I knew I had to play my best," 20-year-old Watson said.
Four-time Grand Slam title-winner Kim Clijsters, playing her last Wimbledon before retirement, eased into the third round with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Andrea Hlavackova of the Czech Republic.
Italy's 10th seed Sara Errani, the French Open runner-up, needed just seven seconds to complete her 6-1, 6-3 first round win over American qualifier Coco Vandeweghe after the tie had been rained off Tuesday.
Errani had been on match point but on the resumption she didn't have to hit a ball as her opponent handed her victory with a double fault.
Both players broke down in fits of giggles as they shook hands at the net.
Also making progress was former world No 1 Ana Ivanovic, the 14th seed from Serbia, who defeated Spain's Maria Jose Martinez 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 and German 15th seed Sabine Lisicki.
Last year's semifinalist Lisicki reached the third round, beating Serbia's Bojana Jovanovski 3-6, 6-2, 8-6.
Play was suspended for three hours in the afternoon, halting action on the outside courts while the roof was closed on Centre Court.
