At 12.30pm on the second day of the 2026 championships Katie Swan ended Britain’s wait for a first singles victory as she marked her long-awaited return to the All England Club with a battling straight-sets win over Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu.
After a dismal opening day on which the 10 home players who completed their matches were beaten, the wildcard ensured there would be no repeat of the unwanted statistic, overcoming Begu 6-4, 6-4 on Court 16 to become the first Briton into the second round, where she will play Madison Keys. It was the 27-year-old’s first Wimbledon appearance in three years after persistent back injuries and her first Wimbledon win since beating Begu in the first round eight years ago.
