Shock as Williams, Osaka knocked out of Wimbledon Open

Fifteen-year-old American qualifier Cori Gauff caused a stunning upset by defeating five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams in the first round.

World number 313 Gauff beat Williams – 24 years her senior at 39 – 6-4 6-4.

Fellow American Williams had won four Grand Slam titles – including two at Wimbledon – before Gauff was born.

But Gauff – whose school teachers did not know she played tennis until this week – was left in tears as she clinched victory over her “idol”.

Second seed Naomi Osaka was also dumped out in the first round, losing 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 to Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan.

Japan’s Osaka, the US and Australian Open champion, has suffered a dip in form in recent months and struggled throughout her match on Centre Court.

She was 3-1 up before she was broken back and edged out in the tie-break.

Osaka was then broken in the fifth and seventh games, before her 38th unforced error gave the world number 39 victory.

“That’s amazing,” said 24-year-old Putintseva, who also defeated Osaka at the grass-court event in Birmingham in June.

“I had never been on that court – I did a good job out there. I’m very happy now.

“Every match is a battle, but you never know what’s going to happen. I was hoping I would do my best.” Punch