LUCY Shuker was knocked out of the Wimbledon wheelchair singles competition in the first round as she was defeated by her doubles partner Diede De Groot.
The British number one fell to a 6-1, 6-1 straight sets defeat, as the world number five and six-time champion De Groot completed a comfortable victory.
It was a steady opening to the match, as it went on serve for the first three games, De Groot leading 2-1.
But Shuker was broken in the fourth game to love, after three double faults from the Verwood-based star.
It was then plain sailing in the first set for the Dutch player, winning to love in the fifth game, before De Groot won a much closer game in the sixth game, winning after one deuce to set up her serving for the first set.
Shuker fought back from three set points down, taking it to deuce, but De Groot needed just one advantage to polish off the set and take a 1-0 lead.
The 45-year-old was broken in the first game, before she was broken again in the third – although gave a good game as it went to deuce, although De Groot was again quick to convert.
De Groot set up a game to serve for the match in the fifth game by breaking Shuker to love, although Shuker fought back by breaking the Dutch star in the sixth.
But De Groot broke Shuker again in the seventh game of the set as De Groot progressed to the second round.
Shuker will hope to put the disappointment of her first-round exit behind her tomorrow – as she and De Groot team up in the ladies’ wheelchair doubles quarterfinals.
They face number-one ranked doubles player Aniek Van Koot and her partner Lizzy De Greef on Court 14 on Wednesday, July 9.
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