Karolina Pliskova, Ekaterina Makarova crash out of Wimbledon 4th round

Kiki Bertens knocked out the last top 10 seed in the women’s singles at Wimbledon as the Dutch world number 20 stunned Karolina Pliskova with a 6-3, 7-6 (7/1) victory in the fourth round on Monday.

Bertens followed her shock third round success against five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams by claiming the scalp of Czech seventh seed Pliskova.

The exit of former world number one Pliskova came after the women’s draw was blown wide open by surprise defeats earlier in the tournament for Maria Sharapova, Petra Kvitova, Caroline Wozniacki, Simona Halep and Sloane Stephens.

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Germany’s Angelique Kerber, seeded 11th, is the top ranked player remaining.

But the title favourite is seven-time champion Serena Williams, seeded 25th after her lengthy maternity leave, and due to face Russian qualifier -- and fellow mother -- Evgeniya Rodina later on Monday.

Bertens, a French Open semi-finalist in 2016, is into the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the first time.

The 26-year-old faces German 13th seed Julia Goerges or Croatian world number 55 Donna Vekic on Tuesday.

Bertens, who was contemplating retirement last year after losing her enthusiasm for the sport, is the first Dutch woman to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals since Michaella Krajicek in 2007.

Makarova eliminated

Italy’s Camila Giorgi advanced to her first Grand Slam quarter-final with a 6-3, 6-4 win against Russian world number 35 Ekaterina Makarova at Wimbledon on Monday.

Russias Ekaterina Makarova returns against Italys Camila Giorgi. (AFP)

Giorgi was making only her third appearance in the last 16 at a major, but there was no big game nerves as the world number 52 cruised to the most significant victory of her career.

The 26-year-old had failed to get past the third round of a major since the 2013 US Open.

But she was in complete control against Makarova, who had defeated reigning Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki in the second round.

Giorgi will play seven-time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams or Russian qualifier Evgeniya Rodina for a place in the semi-finals.