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It’s goodbye Venus as Carla rocks Rod Laver Arena


The bigger they are the harder they fall, they say, and Melbourne Park is still reverberating from the shockwaves caused by the exit of sixth seed Venus Williams.

The reigning Wimbledon champion was bundled out of the womens draw in the second round by little-known Spaniard Carlo Suarez Navarro on the Rod Laver Arena on Thursday.

Once the Melbourne Park crowd realised Suarez Navarros fighting qualities they got behind the underdog and screamed her on to a 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory.

Despite a wonderful second set, the 5ft 4 world No.46 looked down and out when she trailed Williams by 5-2 in the final set.

But she kept plugging away with her flowing topspin backhand and fought her way back into the match.

She held for 3-5, broke for 4-5 and held again to level at 5-all. The right-hander then played the biggest two games of her life to break again and coolly hold serve to 30 to wrap up an unlikely victory.

Suarez Navarro, who made the last eight at the French Open last year, goes on to play fellow Spaniard Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez for a place in the last 16.


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Tim Farthing, Tennishead Editorial Director & Owner, has been a huge tennis fan his whole life. He's a tennis journalist and entrepreneur as well as playing tennis to a national standard. He also helps manage his local club and volunteers for his local tennis organisation. He's a specialist in content about the administration of professional tennis and tennis coaching for all levels.