Tennis world stunned by Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka ‘disaster’

Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka have both crashed out of the Italian Open at the first hurdle, robbing fans of a potential fourth-round showdown between the pair.

While World No.1 Ash Barty continued her incredible form to make the third round, it was a day of carnage for a number of her biggest rivals.

Osaka’s clay court misery continued on Wednesday in a 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 loss to American Jessica Pegula.

The four-time grand slam winner, seeded second in Rome, had received a first-round bye but was unable to find her way back into the match after losing the first-set tie-break to her 31st-ranked opponent.

Just hours later, Williams also crashed out with a second round defeat to Argentina’s Nadia Podoroska, weeks before her bid to make history at Roland Garros.

Playing the 1000th WTA match of her career and first since the Australian Open, the 39-year-old lost 7-6 (8/6), 7-5 to a player 15 years her junior who was a surprise semi-finalist at last year’s Roland Garros.