Olympic champion and world number one Serena Williams was bundled out of the Rio de Janeiro tennis tournament in the third round of the singles after a shock 6-4 6-3 defeat to Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina.

The defeat by the 20th-ranked Svitolina ends Williams’s Olympic tournament, having also suffered a surprise loss in the doubles with older sister Venus on Sunday.

The 34-year-old Williams, who is not entered in the mixed doubles, cut short her media commitments after the loss, speaking only to the official broadcasters before returning to the changing rooms.

Svitolina, who will face Czech Republic’s Petra Kvitova in the quarter-finals, was over the moon with her first victory in five meetings over the 22-times grand slam singles winner.

“It’s an unreal feeling for me. This is just a perfect moment,” said Svitolina. Williams’s defeat came hours after third seed and French Open champion Garbine Muguruza was upset by Puerto Rico’s Monica Puig.

Germany’s world number two Angelique Kerber, who beat Williams in the final of the Australian Open in January but lost the Wimbledon final to the American, is now the favourite for gold.

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