Vesnina Upsets Venus Williams @ Wimbledon Open

Five-time champion Venus Williams became the first high-profile casualty at Wimbledon Open with a straight-sets first-round defeat by Elena Vesnina on Monday afternoon.
The 32-year-old American held serve only once as she was blown away in the first set. Williams recovered in the second, but when the Russian world number 79 broke in the seventh game, she closed out a 6-1, 6-3 victory.

In the tie, Venus showed little energy and little of her formerly formidable game. Venus, who turned 32 last week, has played little since last fall and it showed, as it did in her second-round loss in the French Open last month.

For the first time since 1997, she came to Wimbledon as an unseeded player. Venus may have a new fashion line and be preparing for the Olympics, but she is now ranked 55th in the world.

The American has faced serious health problems, which forced her to withdraw from the U.S. Open last summer, announcing that she had Sjogren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease in which white-blood cells attack moisture-producing glands.
Today’s exit was Williams’ second first-round defeat at the All England Club.