The Demo Site

Gisela Dulko overpowers former tennis champion Maria Sharapova. Dulko, as young as 24 years old celebrate victory at Wimbledon. She is from Argentina, because of her best game techneques she dumped one of the biggest names in women's tennis out of the championships. Very clever young lady, now she has the turn, she will be the girl next to the step of Sharapova. Argentinian is so much proud of her. Best things happen at early age.

The 24-year-old fought through the nerves to complete a 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 victory to seal her place in the third round and dump one of the biggest names in women's tennis out of the championships.

Though the Russian Sharapova, who won the grass-based grand slam in 2004, was seeded 24 for Wimbledon due to her season blighted by a shoulder injury, the result was still an upset.

The 24-year-old South American, who has reached the third round on three previous occasions at Wimbledon, now faces another Russian in her next match in the form of tenth seed Nadia Petrova who beat Dulko's doubles partner Shahar Peer of Israel 6-3, 6-2 to go through.

"It is the most important tournament in the world for me," she said in a court side interview after the math.

"It's been a great day and I feel really happy - I didn't play very good in one game and with players like Maria, you know she will take her chances.

"But in the third set I just kept on fighting - I was really nervous at the end and just wanted to finish the match as the winner - and now I'm so happy."

The crowd at the British venue warmed to the plucky Argentinean as the game wore on, a factor that Dulko said helped her to victory: "The crowd were fantastic with me and I'm really grateful."

Elsewhere, there were mixed results for Asian women competing at the All England Club.

Progression to the third round was ensured for Japan's Ai Sugiyama with a 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 victory over Spanish qualifier Arantxa Parra Santonja.

The 33-year-old Sugiyama, who is ranked 38 in the world, recorded her previous best at the event in a quarter final appearance in 2004 and will now face Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova.

Parra Santonja, 26, who played with heavily strapped thighs, pushed her better-ranked opponent hard in a first-set - taking Sugiyama to a tie break before finally succumbing to a 7-5 defeat.

The second set was saw a revitalized Sugiyama hit back to break twice and win 6-3 to take the match.

China's Zheng Jie failed to match her previous Wimbledon high of reaching the semifinals in 2008 when she was defeated 6-3, 7-5 by Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova.

The world number 16, struggled to impose her game on the powerful Hantuchova.

Meanwhile, in the other results from Day Three, eight seed Victoria Azarenka of Bulgaria thrashed Ioana Raluca Olaru 6-0, 6-0.

America's Jill Craybas lost 6-3,6-0 to Frances Virginie Razzano, while Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova triumphed 6-2, 6-4 over Urzula Radwanska of Poland.