TENNIS – Defending champion Novak Djokovic got through to the 2nd round of Wimbledon after taking a 6-4 6-4 6-4 win over German Philipp Kohlschreiber, the 33rd player in the world in 2 hours and 5 minutes. Diego Sampaolo
After a trade of breaks in the first three games of the 1st set, Djokovic (1) closed out the set 6-4, in the 10th game after Kohlschreiber made double faulted to be broken. In the 2nd set, Djokovic again broke Kohlschreiber in the 10th game after the German was unable to break in the 7th game. In the 3rd set, Djokovic went up 3-1 but Kohlschreiber broke back immediately. However, as was the pattern in the other two sets, Djokovic broken Kohlschreiber in the 10th game for the match 6-4 6-4 6-4. Djokovic broke serve five times. He hit 12 aces and 36 winners
“It’s always an honour to play in the cradle of tennis. I am privileged and honoured to open this year’s Wimbledon Centre Court as defending champion. It is a special feeling. I had a very tough opponent who can be very tricky on all surfaces, especially on the grass. He had nothing to lose. I remained focused on this surface playing well on the most important moments of the match … I thought the return was exceptionally well, good from my side, serving efficiently. Overall a great performance against a quality opponent”, said Djokovic.
Lleyton Hewitt, 2002 champion at Wimbledon, lost against Jarkko Nieminen after a thrilling five-set battle with 3-6 6-3 4-6 6-0 11-9. It is the final appearance at Wimbledon for both players. Nieminen converted 10 of his 22 break point chances and hit 62 winners. After the match Hewitt received the standing ovation of the fans. Djokovic will face Nieminen, who also announced that he will retire at the end of the year
This year’s Roland Garros champion Stan Wawrinka (4) beat Joao Sousa 6-2 7-5 7-6 (3). Wawrinka broke serve in the third game for 2-1 before holding his serve to love. Wawrinka sealed the first set after 20 minutes. In the 2nd set Wawrinka earned break points at 2-1 but Sousa saved them. Sousa put Wawrinka under pressure but the Swiss player held his serve for 3-3. They remained on serve until the 11th game when Wawrinka broke for 6-5 and served it out for 7-5. In the 3rd set, here were no breaks and/or break points. The set would come down to a tiebreaker where Wawrinka dominated to take it 7-3 points and the match. Wawrinka hit 35 aces, 45 winners and did not face any break points. He converted six of his nine break point opportunities. Wawrinka will take on Victor Estrella Burgos who overcame Benjamin Becker 5-7 6-1 6-4 6-4. It was repeat of last year’s first round match where Wawrinka won in three sets.
“When I was younger, up until age 19, I only played on clay, so from the baseline I needed to have time to prepare my shots. On grass it’s important to be aggressive and stay close to the baseline. I had to find the solutions over the years and now I am able to play my best tennis on grass as well”, said Wawrinka
Kei Nishikori (5) battled past Simone Bolelli again in five sets with 6-3 6-7(4) 6-2 3-6 6-3 after 3 hours and 22 minutes in a repeat of last year’s third-round match. Nishikori broke serve twice to seal the first set 6-3. Bolelli bounced back winning the second set 7-4 points in the tie-break. Bolelli took a 2-1 lead in the third set but Nishikori reeled off five cosecutive games to go up 2-1 sets. Bolelli took the 4th set 6-3 after breaking early 4th game. Nishikori broke for 3-0 in the 5th set and maintained this lead to take the match 6-3 in the fifth.
“I knew it was going to be a tough one because we played long five sets last year here. I know he is good on grass. I was ready but there were many ups and downs. My concentration wasn’t there some moments. But I finished very strongly in the end, so I am very happy to win today”, said Nishikori
John IsneR (17) recorded a 7-6(5) 6-4 6-4 win over Go Soeda in one hour and 45 minutes. Milos Raonic (8) edged Daniel Gimeno-Traver 6-2 6-3 3-6 7-6(4). Fernando Verdasco rallied from losing the first set to battle past Martin Klizan 4-6 6-2 6-3 6-7 (6-8) 13-11 in a 3-hour and 57-minute match where the Spanish player fended off nine of the 10 break points. Verdasco will take on Dominic Thiem (32) who rallied from a set down to edge Dudi Sela from Israel with 2-6 6-3 6-4 6-4.
Grigor Dimitrov (11), semifinalist last year at Wimbledon, beat Federico Delbonis 6-3 6-0 6-4. Richard Gasquet (21) beat Luke Saville (wnner of the Junior title at Wimbledon in 2011) 6-3 6-2 6-2. Gasquet hit 33 winners and 18 unforced errors. Marin Cilic (9) beat Hiroki Moriya 6-3 6-2 7-6(4). Last year’s Wimbledon quarter finalist Nick Kyrgios (26) defeated Diego Schwartzman 6-0 6-2 7-6(6).
