By Georgia Grimond, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – It was game, set and match for the last of Brazil’s tennis hopefuls on Tuesday. Teliana Pereira and Thomaz Bellucci were both beaten on the second day of the Lawn Tennis Championship, leaving the country with no contenders in the singles competition.
Pereira, ranked 77 in world tennis and making her debut at Wimbledon, lost in the first round to Camila Giorgi, seeded 32 in the world. The Italian beat the Brazilian in two sets: 7-6 (7-4), 6-3.
Earlier in the day, Thomaz Bellucci failed to win against two-times Wimbledon winner, Rafael Nadal, in their fifth meeting. Despite Nadal having a weak start to this year, with no grand slam tennis tournament titles under his belt, the Brazilian failed to capitalize on the Spaniard’s poor form and after three sets the final score was 6-4, 6-2, 6-4.
On Monday, Brazil’s number two tennis player, João Olavo Souza, better known as Feijão and not to be confused with Portuguese player João Sousa, was defeated by Santiago Giraldo of Colombia three sets to love (6-4, 6-3, 6-2) knocking him out of the competition too.
Six Brazilian players remain in the mixed doubles competition however. Bellucci, Feijão, Marcelo Demoliner, Marcelo Melo, Andre Sa and Bruno Soares will all play in the coming week. Bellucci, Demoliner and Soares are set to play in separate games from 1PM (GMT) on Wednesday.
Wimbledon is the oldest tennis championship in the world and is considered the most prestigious. Hosted at the All England Lawn Tennis Club in London, it is the last grand slam to still be played on grass.
Maria Bueno was the only Brazilian to have ever won the competition. She took the women’s single title three times, in 1959, 1960 and 1964. Wimbledon runs until 12th July.
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