LONDON - China's Zheng Jie produced the first shock of Wimbledon as she sent Slovakian 30th seed Dominika Cibulkova crashing out in the first round on Monday.
Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova serves to China's Jie Zheng, during their first round singles match at Wimbledon, Monday, June 23, 2008. [Agencies]
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Wildcard Zheng is ranked over 100 places below Cibulkova but made a mockery of that gap with a superb display to go through 6-4, 6-3.
The 24-year-old, who plays either Britain's Elena Baltacha or Angelique Kerber of Germany in the second round, has never been beyond the third round at the All England Club.
Cibulkova, 19, underlined her status as an emerging young talent when she defeated former Wimbledon champions Venus Williams and Amelie Maueresmo earlier this year.
But Zheng showed no signs of being intimidated and was able to dominate from the start.
She broke in the fourth game and although the lead was short-lived, with Cibulkova breaking back in the next game, there was no doubt Zheng had the measure of the teenager.
She seized the initiative when Cibulkova served to stay in the set at 5-4 down. Zheng wasted her first set point but gleefully converted the second with a thumping forehand.
Zheng's confidence was sky-high and she broke for a 3-1 lead in the second set.
She couldn't push home her advantage immediately as Cibulkova broke back, but there was no let-up in her bruising baseline assault.
The decisive break came in the eight game as she moved 5-3 up and she swiftly served out the match.
