China's Zheng Qinwen crashed out of Wimbledon against Katerina Siniakova

London (AFP) - Zheng Qinwen admitted she was not focused enough after the Chinese Olympic champion slumped to a shock first-round Wimbledon defeat against world number 81 Katerina Siniakova on Tuesday.

Zheng exited in the opening round for a third straight year, losing 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 to the unheralded Czech in two hours and 25 minutes in searing heat on Court Three.

It is the fourth time in her past six Grand Slam appearances that Zheng has failed to get past the third round, a barren run interrupted by quarter-final runs at the 2024 US Open and this year’s French Open.

“I should do better in my service games. I was leading 5-3 in the first set and my concentration was not there. I gave her the game so easily. It’s a pity,” Zheng said.

“On grass you don’t get too many chances to come back. I should have taken my chances better but I’m not going to let this enter my mind. It’s just one match I lost at Wimbledon.

“I made a lot of mistakes. I made the match complicated. The weather was very hot but I believe I should have been more focused on the court. Maybe I should work more to be focused in the heat.”

After finishing as Australian Open runner-up to Aryna Sabalenka last year, Zheng won Olympic gold on the Paris clay in August, beating Donna Vekic in the final.

The 22-year-old, sixth in the WTA rankings, has fared less well on the grass courts of south-west London.

Following her latest Wimbledon flop against Siniakova, the Chinese star has never been past the third round in four visits to the All England Club.