Returning Elina Svitolina ends potential fairytale of 43-year-old five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams

Elina Svitolina has stopped any potential Venus Williams fairytale in its tracks with the returning Ukrainian seeing off the 43-year-old on Centre Court on Monday night at Wimbledon 6-4, 6-3.

There were doubts that Williams would even get through the game. She had a horrific fall on her knee at the start of the game and let out a shriek.

But unlike Camila Giorgi who celebrated at Birmingham, Svitolina showed respect and came over with a towel to help out.

She soldiered on though albeit to a straight sets loss to Svitolina who like Williams was only in through a wildcard.

Svitolina took full advantage of the Williams fall in the early going opening up a 4-2 lead but Williams continued to show glimpses of her power to make it 4-3.

The new balls came out and Svitolina had the first go on her serve targeting the problematic right side and forced a return into the net and moved 5-3 up from there.

The fight continued from Williams right to the end of the opening set. She moved quickly to a 30-0 lead but errors brought her back in.

Another mistake allowed Williams to get a break point but she didn't take it and she saved a second before sealing the set.

There was another medical timeout to begin the second set as Williams hobbled to the baseline to serve the first game and Svitolina went up a break.

She broke again at 4-1 off the help of a lovely cross court forehand and in the latter half of the game, a double fault from Venus Williams saw her take a double break. It continued to be ruthless as Svitolina went one away from the match.

But yet again back came Williams as she held despite a double fault and a mistimed error and Svitolina could not serve it out.

Finally though, Svitolina had it with Venus Williams shaking her head all the way to the handshake after a shot that looked to go long was called in at the end.

Svitolina looked a tad emotional and slightly in disbelief walking to the net but she moves through.