Defending champion Angelique Kerber has been dumped out of Wimbledon as she suffered a stunning 2-6 6-2 6-1 second-round defeat by American world No.95 Lauren Davis.

German Kerber, a three-times grand slam champion, raced through the first set on Thursday before the match turned wildly on its head and Davis, who needed a lucky-loser spot to play in the tournament, lost only three more games.

After taking the second set, the 25-year-old Davis turned the screw on Court Two and wrapped up victory in an hour and 55 minutes when fifth seed Kerber netted.

The American had previously been a top-30 player but had fallen to 252 in the world by the end of 2018, before beginning a rapid rise back up the rankings.

Davis was the more aggressive, out-hitting Kerber with 45 winners to 13, and broke the German’s serve eight times in the match to set up a third-round meeting with number 30 seed Carla Suarez Navarro.

The contest had started well for Kerber as she broke for a 4-2 lead in the first set and then again to love in the eighth game to clinch the opener.

Yet after a visit from the trainer, Davis turned the encounter on its head.

After the second set began with three breaks of serve, Davis held to get her nose ahead 3-1 and broke again for a 4-1 lead.

After failing to convert her first two matchpoints at 5-1, Davis made no mistake with the third when a strong return forced Kerber to net.