It was Fed Ex day at Wimbledon's wild Wednesday yesterday as Roger Federer made his first Grand Slam departure in 36 tournaments prior to the quarter finals. And the No 3 seed was joined by the women's No 3  when Maria Sharapova also crashed out.

On a day, the like of which has never been experienced since tennis went professional over 40 years ago, no fewer than seven high profile names had to retire or withdraw from the championships, citing illness and injury.

One of the main results of this extraordinary chain of events is to leave Britain's Andy Murray, a secure winner in straight sets over his Beijing Olympics conqueror Yen-Tsun Lu, a golden highway to a potential final with Novak Djokovic.

What had appeared to be a nightmare half of the draw with Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, John Isner and Marin Cilic in his way has now opened up into a danger free path for the Scot. But, as things stand on grass made more treacherous by a wet Spring, don't let us count our chickens yet.

The first casualty was No 2 seed Victoria Azarenka who couldn't shake off a knee injury incurred during her Monday victory. She failed to show up on Centre Court for her match against Flavia Pennetta. Then Nadal's conqueror Steve Darcis said he couldn't raise his arm to serve against Poland's Lukasz Kubot.

Radek Stepanek suffered hamstring problems as he withdrew after trailing 24th seed Jerzy Janowiczby by a set and a half. Lanky American John Isner lasted no more than two games against Adrian Mannarino when he suffered a knee injury.

Marin Cilic also cited a knee injury when pulling out against Kenny De Schepper, admitting it had been bothering him for several months. Tsonga, trailing 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 had to retire against the talented Latvian Ernests Gulbis with knee and wrist injuries. Finally Yaroslava Shvedova cited an arm injury when pulling out against the 2011 Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova.

As if this wasn't enough the late evening exit of seven times Wimbledon champion Federer's demise topped a day of drama that the scriptwriters of the BBC soap Casualty would barely have dared to create. And there was no fluke about his defeat by world ranked 116 Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine.

You had to blink and wonder if it was Back To The Future as Stakhovsky adopted the old-fashioned style of grass court play by serving and volleying. He even bullied Federer into copying him at times. The very notion had old timers like John McEnroe and Boris Becker, who were commentating for the BBC, drooling from the mouth.

Stakhovsky kept up a barage of high class serving and volleying that eventually wore down the man who regards the Centre Court as his very own domain. The Ukrainian won 6-7, 7-6. 7-5, 7-6. And the gazelle-like Federer did not slip or suffer any injury. He was quite simply outplayed in the manner that was prevalent before the turn of the century.

Afterwards the 31-year-old Swiss said; "I've had some great moments but this was a tough one. I appreciated the ovation at the end. I wish it hadn't ended here. What do you do after something like this? You don't panic at this point. Go back to work and come back stronger.

"Sounds simple but it's more difficult to do. This is clearly not what I was hoping for at this tournament. I have plans to play for many more years."
As for the Ukrainian he could scarcely believe what he had achieved. He said; "It's like you are facing two players out there. First you play Roger Federer and then you play his ego on Centre Court. Beating Roger here on his court has a special place in my career.

"Our sport is Roger Federer - at least it is here. When you come here you are playing his legend. But for me I'm still lost. I can't explain because I'm not feeling it yet. Right now I can still tell my grandkids that I kicked the butt of Roger Federer."
Sharapova lost 6-3, 6-4 to Portugal's Michelle Larcher de Brito who is ranked 130 places below her. Interestingly she is perhaps the only player on the tour who can outscream tennis's golden girl and spectators on Court No 2 were reaching for their ear plugs long before the first set was completed.

Sharapova did fall over three times during the match and mouthed the words "this is dangerous" to her watching support team. But her opponent also fell twice and afterwards she graciously conceded that conditions had been the same for both players.
Caroline Wozniacki, another former World No 1 and seeded nine at Wimbledon, also fell several times during her 6-2, 6-2 defeat by the Czech Republic's Petra Cetkovska. The departure of Wozniacki. Azarenka, Sharapova and Ana Ovanovic has really opened up the lower half of the women's draw too.

Ivanovic was beaten 6-3, 6-3 by the promising 19-year-old Eugenie Bouchard whose talent was highlighted here in Tuesday's column. The girl from Montreal is a breath of fresh air with a free and easy way of playing her all court game. She was far too consistent for Ivanovic.

Afterwards the 2012 Wimbledon junior champion said; "I am good friends with Laura Robson and stayed with her family last year when competing in the juniors. This year I have my twin sister and my mom with me so we are in a hotel.

"This is only my second Grand Slam (she lost in the second round at Roland Garros a month ago). It was a great honour to play on Centre Court - I had only 20 minutes notice that my match was being transferred (from Court 12 because of Azarenka's defection). It's what every player wants to do. More people were cheering for Ana but at least people are talking about me now."

Bouchard now faces Spain's No 19 seed Carla Suarez-Navarro in the third round and few would bet against another seed biting the dust. She faces a potential fourth round clash with the 2011 Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova.

In another extraordinary serve and volley encounter on Court 2 the dreadlocked Dustin Brown, born in Jamaica but playing for the land of his father Germany, downed the Aussie veteran Leyton Hewitt. The qualifier, ranked only 189 in the world, has fair prospects of lengthening his stay in the tournament as he now faces France's 111-ranked Adrian Mannarino who benefitted from Isner's defection after two games.

On a day when drama was king Murray's summary despatch of his Taipei opponent was positively mundane. But there were plenty of long rallies and Murray will have been glad to escape in straight sets, having fulfilled his obligatory exit to Court One from Centre Court where he can take over from Federer as its darling.