WIMBLEDON, England — Give Maria Sharapova credit for honesty.
Before Wimbledon began, she acknowledged that a recent comeback from shoulder surgery made it too much to ask for her to contend seriously for a second title at the All England Club.
Sharapova was right: She didn’t even make it out of the second round. Playing poorly at the start and finish Wednesday, the 2004 Wimbledon champion lost 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 to 45th-ranked Gisela Dulko of Argentina.
“Losses are tough — more here than at any other tournament,” said Sharapova, who double-faulted seven times in the final set. “I would have liked to have a longer season before coming here.”
With easy victories for past champions Serena Williams and Roger Federer, Sharapova’s early exit counted as the most surprising development on Day 3.
One player who might benefit from Sharapova’s loss: Williams, who could have faced the Russian in the quarterfinals. Williams moved into the third round by beating Jarmila Groth 6-2, 6-1. Eighth-seeded Victoria Azarenka had even less trouble, defeating Ioana Raluca Olaru 6-0, 6-0, but No. 16 Zheng Jie — a semifinalist last year — lost to Daniela Hantuchova 6-3, 7-5.
Another 2008 semifinalist, No. 18 Rainer Schuettler, was the only seeded man to lose, ousted by Dudi Sela 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-2. Three U.S. men lost — Taylor Dent, Sam Querrey and Vince Spadea — but No. 28 Mardy Fish beat Janko Tipsarevic in four sets to reach the third round and match his best Wimbledon showing. Next up for Fish is a tougher test, No. 4 Novak Djokovic.
“I’ll throw everything I’ve got at him,” Fish said. “I don’t have anything else to do.”
At a glance
A look at Wimbledon on Wednesday:
How the men’s top seeds fared: No. 2 Roger Federer, No. 4 Novak Djokovic, No. 7 Fernando Verdasco, No. 9 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, No. 11 Marin Cilic, No. 13 Robin Soderling, No. 15 Tommy Robredo, No. 22 Ivo Karlovic, No. 24 Tommy Haas, No. 27 Philipp Kohlschreiber, No. 28 Mardy Fish, No. 29 Igor Andreev, No. 32 Albert Montanes advanced. No. 18 Rainer Schuettler lost.
How the women’s top seeds fared: No. 2 Serena Williams, No. 4 Elena Dementieva, No. 7 Vera Zvonareva, No. 8 Victoria Azarenka, No. 10 Nadia Petrova, No. 12 Marion Bartoli, No. 14 Dominika Cibulkova, No. 26 Virginie Razzano, No. 28 Sorana Cirstea moved on, while No. 16 Zheng Jie, No. 24 Maria Sharapova, No. 27 Alisa Kleybanova, No. 31 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova did not advance.
Stat of the day: 9 — Double faults by 2004 champion Sharapova, seven in the final set, during her 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 loss to Gisela Dulko of Argentina.
Quote of the day: “He’s a very complete player. He plays very solid with a very good backhand. Doesn’t serve so hot, but very consistent.” — Schuettler, a Wimbledon semifinalist last year, after losing to 46th-ranked Dudi Sela of Israel 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-2. Schuettler is 0-3 against Sela.
On court today: No. 3 Andy Murray vs. Ernests Gulbis, No. 5 Juan Martin del Potro vs. Lleyton Hewitt, No. 6 Andy Roddick vs. Igor Kunitsyn; No. 1 Dinara Safina vs. Rossana de los Rios, No. 3 Venus Williams vs. Kateryna Bondarenko.
Today’s TV: ESPN2, 5 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Associated Press
