The oldest tournament in tennis began yesterday and it didn’t disappoint.
Brits on fire
British interests were kept alive and three big stars performed well on their comebacks.
Having had abdominal injury concerns coming into the tournament, but both Emma Raducanu and Andy Murray allayed such worries in some style.
The US Open champion won on her debut on Centre Court with some glee as she swept aside Belgian Alison Van Uytvanck 6-4, 6-4.
Two-time champion, Murray, shook off some rust as he dropped the opening set against Australian James Duckworth, before storming through 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.
The British number one Cameron Norrie also got off to a impressive start as he downed Spaniard Pablo Andújar in straight sets 6-0, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3.
Narrow escapes – Alcaraz survives in five
The rising star Carlos Alcaraz of Spain overcame a huge scare to see off the plucky German Jan Lennard Struff in five sets.
Twice the Miami Open and Madrid Masters 1000 champion came back from a set and two sets to one down.
Eventually prevailing 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-4.
The fourth set tie-breaker and the teenager’s superior fitness in the fifth, proving to be the crucial difference.
With no grass-court practice going into Wimbledon, it seemed natural that Alcaraz needed time to find his groove.
He faces Dutchman Talloon Griekspoor next who beat a poor Fabio Fognini (pun intended) in four sets.
Meanwhile, defending champion Novak Djokovic overcame a scare of his own as he dropped the second set against South Korea’s Soon-woo Kwon 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
SHOCKS
The biggest shock of the day came as the Halle Open champion, Hubert Hurkacz lost in five enthralling sets.
Last year’s Wimbledon semi-finalist shot to prominence in beating eight-time champion Roger Federer on Centre-Court, including a final set bagel.
There were high hopes for the Pole going into this year’s championships but he was narrowly beaten by Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
In the women’s, Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins of the United States was left stunned.
The American seventh seed going down to Czech Marie Bouzková 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.
And Olympic Champion Belinda Bencic is also out after losing to China’s Wang Qiang 6-4, 5-7, 6-2.
Having reached the final of the Berlin Open on grass, the Swiss will be particularly disappointed by this result.
Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi made a strong start to season after the 37-year-old veteran made the quarter-finals in Australia.
But the 31 seed lost to France’s Diane Parry 6-4, 6-4.
Best of the rest
Stan Wawrinka’s unlikely quest for the career Grand Slam was ended, as he went down to Italy’s Jannik Sinner 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
It remains to be seen if the Swiss will prolong his career into next season after a year out with a knee injury.
Injuries to Spain’s Pablo Carreño Busta and Danish teen Clara Tauson forced both to pull out mid match against Dušan Lajović and Mai Hontama.
But Ons Jabeur, the third seed and Berlin Open winner stormed past Mirjam Bjorklund 6-1, 6-3.
And the second seed Anett Kontaveit of Estonia is also through as she beat Bernarda Pera of the United States 7-5 6-1.
