Champion Mauresmo beaten by Vaidisova in last 16

LONDON, July 3 (Reuters) Champion Amelie Mauresmo's Wimbledon reign ended in a bizarre fourth round encounter today when she was upset 7-6 4-6 6-1 by Czech teenager Nicole Vaidisova.

In a match featuring three rain disruptions and a confused umpire who lost his bearings midway through the tussle, 14th seed Vaidisova downed Mauresmo with a barrage of hefty groundstrokes.

After an error-riddled performance, the Frenchwoman suffered her earliest exit from the grasscourt grand slam since 2001.

Mauresmo had lost her two previous meetings against Vaidisova and once again imploded on Centre Court having made a promising start.

She was leading 4-2 in the first set when showers first interrupted the match but Vaidisova proved to be a gutsy opponent and roared back to take it 8-6 in a tiebreak.

Umpire Kim Craven then looked to have lost the plot when he forgot whose serve it was and at which end the players should start the second set.

After much bemusement, the players started the second set and despite levelling the contest, an out-of-sorts Mauresmo bowed out by netting a service return.

REUTERS PDS HS2053