Djokovic untroubled
World No 1 Novak Djokovic got his campaign for a third successive Wimbledon title off to a winning start with a 6-0, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 victory over Britain’s James Ward.
Djokovic, 29, the holder of 12 grand slams after clinching a first French Open earlier this month, is on target for the tennis record books.
A fourth Wimbledon title would make him just the second man since Don Budge in 1938 to win five straight majors.
It would also put him three-quarters of the way to becoming the first since Rod Laver in 1969 to complete the calendar Grand Slam.
Top seed Djokovic, who holds all four majors, goes on to face France’s Adrian Mannarino for a place in the last 32.
Federer labours to win
Roger Federer was well short of his best as the seven-time Wimbledon champion advanced to the second round with an uninspired 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 victory over Argentina’s Guido Pella on Monday.
Federer has been plagued by injury problems this year and the world number three lacked rhythm and confidence in his opening match at this year’s grass-court Grand Slam.
The 34-year-old, without a major title since 2012, will play British qualifier Marcus Willis for a place in the last 32.
Kohlschreiber crashes
Philipp Kohlschreiber was the first seed to fall in the men’s draw at Wimbledon on the opening day.
The 32-year-old German, competing in his 12th straight Wimbledon, fell in four sets to Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert, the US Open doubles champion.
A 7-5, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 defeat for Kohlschreiber not only means an early exit but also that he has gone home in the first round of all three grand slams in 2016.
The Wimbledon 21st seed lost to Nicolas Almagro in France last month and to Kei Nishikori in Australia at the start of the year.
The ninth seed, Marin Cilic, had no such struggles as he beat America’s Brian Baker in straight sets, while Sergiy Stakhovsky was a three-set victor over Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka.
Raonic-McEnroe off to flyer
Milos Raonic eased into the second round with a 7-6 (7/4), 6-2, 6-4 victory over Pablo Carreno Busta in front of new coach and All England Club legend John McEnroe.
Canadian sixth seed Raonic hired three-time Wimbledon champion McEnroe earlier this month in a bid to hone his game for the grass-court grand slam.
The fast grass of Wimbledon suits 25-year-old Raonic’s game, as he showed when he reached the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2014.
And, under McEnroe’s tutelage, he had shown further progress on the surface at Queen’s Club earlier this month, when he reached the final before narrowly losing to world No 2 Andy Murray.
With McEnroe watching on Court 2, Raonic stayed in the groove with a comfortable start to his Wimbledon campaign.
Raonic will play Italy’s Andreas Seppi for a place in the last 32.
Edmund out
Home players took an early beating with British No 3 Kyle Edmund going down 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 at Wimbledon on Monday to Frenchman Adrian Mannarino.
Edmund, 21, ranked 68th in the world, gave the Court 2 crowd in the sunshine only a few moments to really cheer on as his touch and accuracy faltered against the left-handed world No 55.
Edmund is one of six British men in action on the tournament’s opening day, with 2013 champion and second seed Andy Murray getting under way on Tuesday against another Briton, Liam Broady.
Russian 29th seed Daria Kasatkina was the first winner at this year’s Wimbledon on Monday when she defeated American Victoria Duval 6-0, 7-5.
Duval, the world number 572, skipped Wimbledon last year as she recovered from cancer surgery.
Kasatkina goes on to face either Olga Govortsova of Belarus or Spain’s Lara Arruabarrena for a place in the third round.
Alexandrova stuns Ivanovic
Former French Open champion Ana Ivanovic was knocked out of Wimbledon in the first round Monday, losing 6-2, 7-5 to Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova, the world No 223.
Ivanovic, the 2008 Roland Garros champion and a semi-finalist at the All England Club in 2007, suffered just her second opening round loss at Wimbledon in 12 visits.
Alexandrova is making her Grand Slam debut and had won just one match on the main tour in her entire career before Monday’s shock win over the 23rd seed.
Venus vaults Vekic
As she has done for most of the past 18 summers, Venus Williams on Monday took a large, languid stride into the second round of Wimbledon.
The oldest woman in the main singles draw, five-time champion Williams was at times sublime as she beat Croatian Donna Vekic 7-6(3) 6-4 on a sunny Court One.
While the full Williams armoury had been on display, it was her mental strength which stood out, perhaps no surprise given she is playing her 71st grand slam singles tournament, a record among current female players.
Muguruza battles on
French Open champion Garbine Muguruza said she had to play ugly on Monday to negotiate Wimbledon’s perilous grass courts and a dangerous opponent.
But for an appreciative Centre Court crowd, the powerful tennis the elegant Spaniard produced in downing Camila Giorgi 6-2 5-7 6-4 looked very easy on the eye.
FIRST ROUND RESULTS
Men’s
• Adrian Mannarino (FRA) bt Kyle Edmund (GBR) 6-2, 7-5, 6-4
• Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA) bt Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER x21) 7-5, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
• David Ferrer (ESP x13) bt Dudi Sela (ISR) 6-2, 6-1, 6-1
• Marin Cilic (CRO x9) bt Brian Baker (USA) 6-3, 7-5, 6-3
• Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) bt Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN) 6-3, 6-4, 6-4
• Ivo Karlovic (CRO x23) bt Borna Coric (CRO) 7-6 (10/8), 7-6 (9/7), 6-4
Women
• Anna-Lena Friedsam (GER) bt Zarina Diyas (KAZ) 6-4, 6-0
• Carina Witthoeft (GER) bt Irina Begu (ROM x25) 6-1, 6-4
• Kurumi Nara (JPN) bt Madison Brengle (USA) 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3
• Maria Sakkari (GRE) bt Zheng Saisai (CHN) 6-3, 6-2
• Lara Arruabarrena (ESP) bt Olga Govortsova (BLR) 6-2, 1-6, 8-6
• Darya Kasatkina (RUS x29) bt Victoria Duval (USA) 6-0, 7-5
• Samantha Stosur (AUS x14) bt Magda Linette (POL) 7-5, 6-3
• Sabine Lisicki (GER) bt Shelby Rogers (USA) 6-1, 6-3
• Samantha Crawford (USA) bt Paula Kania (POL) 7-5, 6-3
• Jana Cepelová (SVK) bt Mariana Duque (COL) 7-5, 7-5
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport
