Ninth seed Caroline Wozniacki was handed a tricky test in her second-round match at Wimbledon this afternoon, taking on Czech qualifier and former world number 25 Petra Cetkovska.
A match that promised so much changed in the fourth game, with Wozniacki falling heavily on her left ankle after a slip deep at the baseline.
Cetkovska showed no mercy to take full advantage of her opponent's injury troubles, claiming a composed straight-sets win over the former world number one.
Look back at a breakthrough victory for Cetkovska with Sports Mole's text commentary below.
Afternoon tennis fans. Our coverage from day three of Wimbledon continues this afternoon with an intriguing clash in the women's singles between Caroline Wozniacki and Petra Cetkovska.
Wozniacki is looking to build confidence and progress past the last 16 at Wimbledon for the first time. The former world number one's current form will definitely be tested this afternoon by qualifier Cetkovska, who is far better than her current world ranking of 196 may suggest.
The two players have just emerged to warm up on Court Two, so there is just time to tell you a bit more about Cetkovska. The Czech qualifier reached a career-high ranking of 25 last year, but had her progress halted by a persistent knee injury, which saw her sidelined for eight months.
This afternoon's match should give us a clear indication of how well Wozniacki is playing at the moment and if the Dane is ready for a prolonged run at Wimbledon this year. The ninth seed's talent is not in question, but periods of inconsistency have blighted her efforts to regain form so far this season.
We are just about ready to get what is perhaps the pick of the women's second-round matches underway. Cetkovska has heavy strapping to that troublesome knee, let's hope she is fit enough to provide the competitive clash this promises to be on paper.
Here we go then, with Wozniacki to serve first on Court Two. She starts off with an easy point on serve, but quickly sends a skewed forehand into the net and we are level at 15-15 in the opening game.
An early challenge from Cetkovska as she challenges an overrule from the line judge, but the intervention was correct and helps Wozniacki complete an early hold of serve.
Quick pressure applied on the Cetkovska serve, with Wozniacki fighting hard to level at 30-30. A stray forehand from the Dane helps her opponent edge ahead, with a strong point finished off at the net to keep this first set on serve in the early going. An encouraging start for the Czech, who thankfully does not appear to be favouring her left knee so far.
BREAK! A couple of tame second serves from Wozniacki are quickly punished as falls 15-40 behind, with a forehand winner crashing off the net. Early chance here for the Czech qualifier with two break points and she takes advantage quickly, showing aggression to finish a relatively easy point with power at the baseline.
Serving has often been a thorn in Wozniacki's side on grass and that last game showed up all her deficiencies. One thing the ninth seed does have in spirit in abundance, so expect a positive reaction in the next few games.
BREAK POINT! And sure enough Wozniacki produces an immediate response, chasing down a short drop shot to hammer a forehand winner down the line. That clever shot earns the Dane a 15-40 lead but she cannot build on that breakthrough, with Cetkovska dictating play at the baseline to save two break points on serve.
An awkward fall at the baseline at 40-40 sends Wozniacki tumbling to the floor in some discomfort. That was a heavy fall, with her ankle twisting under the weight of her left ankle. The trainer has been called and we will have an injury timeout.
Wozniacki has been quick to put ice on her sore ankle to avoid swelling. Surely the injury curse which has been a feature of the first week of Wimbledon cannot continue. Let's hope the ninth seed can recover to continue after treatment.
We have already lost Viktoria Azarekna, Marian Cilic and Steve Darcis today, let's hope this medical timeout does the trick for Wozniacki. Her ankle is being heavily taped but her game is heavily reliant on speed and movement, which does not bode well for her participation in this tournament. Fingers crossed!
With substantial strapping on her ankle Wozniacki is definitely going to carry on thankfully, with Cetkovska holding advantage on serve.
The Czech shows no mercy to take a two-game lead in the first set. Wozniacki looks uncomfortable and takes her time to adjust the strapping on her foot before the next service game, which should give a better indication as to how freely she can move after that injury.
Pretty tentative movement at the baseline from Wozniacki, who slams a forehand into the net to fall 15-30 behind on serve. Cetkovska retains her focus to earn two break points, with simple returns over the net enough to force errors from her stricken opponent. All to easy for the Czech as she earns a double break.
Cetkovska's focus has been impressive and she stays ruthless at the baseline, moving Wozniacki from side to side and winning two cheap points in the process.
An encouraging long rally from Wozniacki fails to earn the Dane a reprieve, with Cetkovska brutally sending a deft chip over the net to edge further ahead. The ninth seed will now have to serve to keep this first set alive.
SET POINT! A punishing Cetkovska forehand lands right in the corner and touches the line, bringing the two players level at 30-30 Another Wozniacki error at the baseline then quickly sees her concede a set point, but a positive dart to the net pays off for deuce.
The Dane shows plenty of fight to save set point, showing neat touch at the net once more to close out just her second service game of the match. Cetkovska will serve for the first set but before that can happen Wozniacki has called for the trainer again, clearly still in some pain with that strained left ankle.
SET! Utterly ruthless play from Cetkovska earns the qualifier a first set she took with relative ease. Wozniacki might be best served to pull out here in all honesty, effectively playing by applying weight on just one leg.
After a season racked with injuries Cetkovska must be relieved to be the beneficiary of some good fortune on that front. A professional, composed approach should see the qualifier claim a notable scalp on Court Two, but I do expect Wozniacki to keep fighting through the pain barrier for now.
Despite limited movement Wozniacki digs deep to earn a crucial hold to start the second set. Cetkovska made consistent unforced errors on the return side in that game, letting her injured adversary off the hook all too easily.
Back to basics for Cetkovska on serve and it quickly pays dividends. Simple shots at either side of the court leave Wozniacki a sitting duck at the baseline, with the ninth seed unable to push off her left foot and chase down shots in a lengthy rally. At this rate a match that looked so promising could be over pretty quickly.
Through gritted teeth Wozniacki keeps the second set on serve, doing just enough with precise ground strokes at the baseline. A quick change of ends sees the Dane apply yet more strapping to her left ankle, a sure sign that she is seeking further support.
BREAK POINTS! Cetkovska once again shows composure and shot-making that makes her current world ranking of 196, mixing things up to start a new service game. Wozniacki then plays by far her best point of the match to fight back, placing a wide return to perfection and in turn earning two big break points.
Fortune shines on Cetkovska once more as a bounce falls her way at the net, saving the second break point to force deuce. That exchange forces a response from the Czech contender, who shows some timely aggression to hold with a huge forehand winner across court.
BREAK POINTS! Wozniacki is once again forced to dig deep on serve as she loses two cheap points in short baseline exchanges. Cetkovska then goes on the attack at 15-30, earning two break points with another precise forehand winner.
BREAK! The Dane shows tremendous spirit to save two break points, mixing things up to switch play at the baseline. Her joy is shortlived though, with the ninth seed sending two forehand's long in quick succession to hand her opponent the vital break. It looks like the former world number one is helpless to prevent another early Wimbledon exit at this stage.
A fine drop shot helps Cetkovska start on serve in style as she looks to consolidate the break. Wozniacki refuses to give up and wins successive points with measured returns, leaving a tight game deadlocked at 30-30.
The first ace of the match eases Cetkovska ahead and she takes full advantage, but that powerful effort is swiftly followed by a maiden double-fault to leave us at deuce.
A real opportunity for Wozniacki to break back emerges after another untimely mistake from Cetkovska, who lashes a stray forehand long at the net. That glimpse of a break is quickly extinguished by an unforced error from the Dane, who fails to put enough power behind her return on second serve.
More fight from Wozniacki but her efforts amount to little, with Cetkovsa smashing a forehand winner across court for to consolidate her break. You feel that the Dane simply had to maximise that opportunity to break, but the ninth seed looks unable to compete in lengthy rallies on that swollen ankle.
BREAK! And a minute after spurning that chance the Dane's game begins to unravel, with efficient but unspectacular returns from Cetkovska enough to earn three break points. At 0-40 she shows no mercy, smashing a forehand down the line to move within one game of a morale-boosting win, with the Czech about to serve for the match.
Clinical stuff from the Cetkovska in a winning position as she earns a clever point with a measured forehand. Composure has been the most striking theme about her game today given all the drama going on at the other end of the court.
GAME SET AND MATCH! It just hasn't been Wozniacki's day as she smashes a sloppy forehand against the net. The ninth seed's injury struggles means that she crashes out to Cetkovska, who stayed calm to earn by her biggest win of the season to date.
So Wozniacki's woes at Wimbledon continue, but the Dane was clearly unable to move properly after slipping on her left ankle early on. Cetkovska advances to the third round and has the game to give any opponent in the bottom half of the draw problems at SW19.
That just about does it for Sports Mole's coverage of this match but be sure to stick with us on Court Two, with live commentary of Maria Sharapova's second-round match to follow shortly.
Written by
Liam Power
Liam Power
