Pavlyuchenkova ends Kartal's excellent run

SONAY Kartal's fine Wimbledon run ended with a round four loss to veteran Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova yesterday afternoon

- writes Eleanor Crooks.

Kartal was eventually edged out by the 34-year-old former French Open finalist in a 7-6 (7-3), 6-4 defeat, but the result was overshadowed by a problem with the electronic line-calling system that led Pavlyuchenkova, pictured right, to allege home bias.

On game point serving at 4-4, Pavlyuchenkova was convinced a Kartal shot had landed long but the technology was not working at the time - which organisers later attributed to human error - and the point was replayed.

Pavlyuchenkova went on to lose the game, leaving Kartal serving for the opening set, and she furiously told umpire Nico Helwerth at the change of ends: “Because she is local, they can say whatever. You took the game away from me.”

The controversy did not cost Pavlyuchenkova in the end, with the Russian reaching the quarterfinals at the All England Club for the first time in nine years.