Djokovic makes early exit from Wimbledon

Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic has been knocked out of Wimbledon in the second round.

The Serb number three seed lost 6-4 7-6 (7/3) 6-2 to Russia's unseeded Marat Safin.

Roger Federer meanwhile took a step nearer history when he moved imperiously into the third round.

The defending champion, who is bidding to become the first man since William Renshaw in the 19th Century to win the men's singles six times in a row, defeated Sweden's Robin Soderling 6-3 6-4 7-6 (7/3).

Elsewhere, top women's seed Ana Ivanovic survived two match points before beating France's Nathalie Dechy 6-7 7-6 10-8 in a second round thriller.

The Serbian new world number one, fresh from her triumph at the French Open, often looked tentative but survived through sheer persistence to land the tightest of victories.

In the first set, Ivanovic dropped just two points as she sailed into a 3-0 lead. But she then lost her serve twice, Dechy seized the initiative and captured the tiebreak 7-2.

In the second set, Ivanovic looked to be back in control and had three break points for a 4-1 lead. Dechy, refusing to be denied, levelled the match and had two match points at 5-4. But Ivanovic fought back to land the tiebreak 7-3.

In a nerve-tingling final set, Ivanovic swept into a 4-2 lead. But Dechy clawed her way back to 5-5 and then survived two match points at 6-5 before finally succumbing 10-8.

Earlier, Britain's Elena Baltacha was knocked out by Jie Zheng of China.

Baltacha dropped her serve five times as Zheng won 6-2 7-5.

She broke first in the second set and had the chance to level the match when she served in the tenth game.

She led the game 30-0, but Zheng fought back to earn a break point and Baltacha lost the game with a shot that landed wide while Zheng was out of position.

© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.

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