Roger Federer loses in yet another stunning Wimbledon upset
The carnage continues at Wimbledon. Roger Federer lost to 116th-ranked Sergey Stakhovsky 6-7, 7-6, 7-5, 7-6.
Federer's Wimbledon credentials are all but impeccable. Seven victories, more Wimbledon wins than any player ever. This is the earliest he's been bounced from Wimbledon since 2002, when he lost in the first round.
But on this day, he was only a shadow of the champion he'd been. He was never able to find his groove against Stakhovsky, making unforced errors and allowing himself to be pushed around the court in a very un-Federer-like way.
On a larger scale, this ends a stunning run for Federer, who had reached the quarterfinals of every Grand Slam event since the 2004 French Open.
"Still in disbelief that this happened," Stakhovsky said afterward. "I was playing my best tennis, and that still almost wasn't enough ... When you're playing Roger Federer at Wimbledon, it's like playing against two persons."
Previously, Stakhovsky was best known as the guy who brought an iPhone to the court in the French Open to protest a call. This will likely burnish his reputation just a bit.
-Follow Jay Busbee on Twitter at @jaybusbee.-
