IT was not quite a Jill Craybas moment for Serena Williams at a soggy Wimbledon on Saturday but her third round defeat by Frenchwoman Alize Cornet was shocking all the same.

    Just as when she was beaten by obscure fellow American Craybas at the same stage in 2005, no one saw it coming.

    After a frustrating four-hour rain interruption, the 32-year-old five-time champion returned to Court Two to romp through an opening set that lasted only 29 minutes.

    Victory for top seed and most people’s pre-tournament favorite looked a formality, but Cornet, the world No. 24, had other ideas and began a stirring fight back to claim a 1-6 6-3 6-4 victory — her second over Williams this year.

    Williams seemed mystified after the defeat, which came a round before last year’s exit to Sabine Lisicki and a day after sister Venus went out against former champion Petra Kvitova years.

    (SD-Agencies)