In more ways than one. That’s the end of today’s play, so also the end of today’s coverage. Thanks for your company and comments – if only we could do it again tomorrow. Oh, we can, and again and again for 12 days after that. Peace.
Djokovic plays his racket like a violin, dons a white blazer, and says he feels better having won. It’s not the first time he’s been on court talking about the significance of Wimbledon in his life and he thinks Wu deserves a round of applause for how he played.
It didn’t feel like the first round but did feel like two matches, one with the roof off and one not; it got more slippery underfoot. He tried to adjust but Wu put him under a lot of pressure; he’d never played him before but knew he liked hitting it hard and flat from the back, protecting the line.
But Wu surprised him with the level of every shot and some points he didn’t really have a weakness. He was lucky Wu missed that overhead on break point – Djokovic thinks he should probably have lost that set, given how many he faced. On this surface, these matches are decided by a few points and shots and thankfully he has experience of playing the last 20 or so years on this court which can help him a bit and manage the situation.
He’d like to combine his winning experience with “a new, young, fresh body, that’d really be a winning formula, then thanks the crowd for staying late and he hopes the enjoyed it. Finally, asked about his kids, he says his daughter Tara came up with the violin celebration and she’s meant to have found another one, then that they’re up beyond bedtime. He’s prepared to make an exception.
Oh, not finally. Finally, he’s told lots of people are watching and that David Beckham is there; er, and? So he dutifully thanks Beckham because really how kind of him, and that’s that.
Wu played really well, in a really entertaining tussle, and I hope he can hit this level more often. It’s in him – he was great as a kid, then got nobbled by injury – and he’ll have proved some things to himself tonight/
Novak Djokovic (7) beasts Wu Yibing 6-4 5-7 6-4 6-4
Thirty-nine! The man is an absolute freak of nature, and he’s through to face Stefanos Tsitsipas. Tasty!
An unreturned serve and, at 40-0, Djokovic has three match points. When it goes, it goes quickly, as Alex Ferguson once said.
Djokovic makes 15-0, and though Bu dives to get back a murderous forehand, a drop has him slipping; 30-0.
Wu nets a backhand, 0-15; Djokovic caresses a drop-volley, 0-30. Wu, though, responds with a mighty inside-out forehand winner and the crowd again shout his name. I remember the same happening in 2024 when Djokovic played Ruuuuune and he loved it every it as much as you’d have expected. He makes 30-all too, but then Djokovic does really well to stay in the point … and the unforced error eventuates, what an oversight that is. Break point again, so Djokovic takes his time, bringing the crowd into it, hoping Wu has time to think about the pressure. But he quickly takes control of the point … then attempts an overhead he might let bounce, the ball is long, and Djokovic breaks! He’s a game away and will shortly serve for the march as 5-4 in the fourth.
At 30-15, Djokovic leads the unforced errors 11-6 in this set, making holding hard for himself in the process. But at 40-15, a mishit that keeps Wu in the point is followed by a perfect lob that Djokovic doesn’t even attempt to get at, and we soon move to deuce. Two unreturned serves, though, secure the hold for 2-1 4-4, and this is such a physical ruckus. They’ve got to finish by 11, but there won’t be time to complete a fifth set, so should we get one, I imagine we’ll defer it till tomorrow.
Wu is holding nicely, his latest one to 15, and he leads 4-3 in the fourth. Djokovic looks pretty tired and maybe he’s bluffing, but if he isn’t, he’s going to find this tournament difficult.
Djokovic makes advantage again, lashes an ace down the T, and his son Stefan must’ve offered sage advice. He leads 2-1 3-3 having saved four break points and it looks like ultimately, he’ll find whatever this match demands of him.
Be very sure, the stuff I’m talking about is more animated than this.
Wu holds easily then Djokovvic careless nets from mid-court, then directs a forehand wide; 0-30. And he’s inches from a double to donate 0-40 … only to guide a backhand into the tape. That is three incredibly careless points, and Wu has three chances to break. He can’t nab the first after nashing about the court then coming in for a drop, unable to flick it over and in; an ace follows, then a backhand forced long, and Djokovic has deuce. He stretches off between points, his nipper hollering more advice, but when Wu sends a return out wide, he cleans up with a forehand to make advantage, and the crowd are right behind him. A service winner, though, does the business, of course it does, and back to deuce we go.
A Djokovic forehand, carefully watched by Wu, sails long, just; 15-30. Oh, and Djokovic overhits again, so must now face two break points. The first disappears by way of ace … and the second via netted return a 121mph second serve surprising Wu, who beats the turf in exhibition frustration. And though he then saves a game point, Djokovic raises another, takes it, and leads 2-1 2-2.
Wu nets a drop for 15-all, but an unreturned serve takes him back in front … only for a careless forehand to out him under pressure at 30-all. From there, though, he secures his hold, sealing it with an ace and forging in front once again in set four at 2-1.
Djokovic stops in a punishing rally, winning it for 40-15, but an error makes things close before a beautifully disguised drop takes us to deuce. From there, though, the hold is quickly secured, and Djokovic leads 2-1 1-1.
Wu isn’t going away, rushing through a conclusive hold for 1-0 in the fourth. Djokovic, by the way, has only lost in the first round of a slam twice: to Marat Safin at the 2005 Aussie Open when he was just coming through and got a stinking draw, then again at the same tournament the following year, beaten by Paul Goldstein.
Goodness me, another advantage and another set point, saved with a devastating forehand, but when Djokovic again makes advantage, Wu flaps a backhand long, and it’s a long way back from 4-6 7-5 4-6 down.
Djokovic nets a half-volley at net having done the hard work – all he needed to dow as get the ball back into court. But he outlasts Wu in a long rally of slices, taking a breather as soon as ball hits net, then making full use of his allotted time before serving again; the return goes long for 30-15. But at 40-15, he goes long, then Wu sends him from hither to yon before picking him out with an overhead. Eventually, though, he puts the point away, so to deuce we go, two set points saved. Gosh, and then he unloads on forehands from the back, raising advantage; what a performance this is, facing the greatest of all time on Centre Court and finding the best tennis of his life. But can he break back? Er, not right now, another tremendous serve under pressure followed by a forehand that restores deuce.
Djokovic holds, then, at 30-all, finds a stretch-return, then flicks a backhand winner cross-court to break the sideline, raising break point … brutally yanked away by a pair of monstrous forehands. Djokovic, floored by the first of them, does then make advantage, Wu erring on the forehand … then again, and that’s the break for 5-4 in the third! In typical style, he cups an ear at the crowd, daring them to give it more “Wuuuu!” and he’ll shortly serve for the third set while, in his box, his son goes wild.
Wu, though, responds with a love hold for 1-1 4-3, and he’s matching the greatest of all time. I wonder whether, if he wins, Djokovic wonders about turning it in; it just seems so unlikely he wins another major, and that Roland Garros loss to Fonseca must’ve told him something about his inability to compete with the younger men over best-of-five. Wimbledon is his best chance of making it 25 grand slam titles, and if he goes out in round one, he’ll surely accept it’s not happening.
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As a youngster, Wu showed serious top-end promise, but he’s suffered badly with injury – he was out from March 2019 until January 2022, dealing with elbow surgery as well as lower back, shoulder and wrist knacks. Well, an occasion of this ilk is his reward for persevering, and he’a risen to it, though Djokovic holds to 3 for 1-1 3-3.
Djokovic holds for 2-2 then makes -15, but a(nother) forehand winner, hooked inside-out to the corner, levels things. We move to 30-all … and from there, Wu serves out, sealing the game with an ace. Wu leads 1-1 3-2.
Djokovic rushes through a hold for 1-1 1-1 and this is a really good contest. Wu nails an ace for 40-30 then, on deuce, slips, manages to get the ball back and on to the line, wins the point with a backhand which breaks the sideline, then secures the hold. “Wuuuuuuuu!” shout the crowd, and he’s enjoying the arse out of this; Djokovic looked amusedly mystified when he lost that point for advantage.
They’ve been discussing the light on 18 for a while, and with Nakashima leading Pinnington Jones 6-3 7-6 4-3, they call it a night.
Djokovic looks to turn it up, making 0-15 then 15-30, but Wu retaliates with a backhand winner coaxed down the line. And though he cant convert when an error gives him game point, he gets there in the end, securing a crucial hold for 1-1 1-0.
Diane Parry beats Fran Jones 6-4 6-4
A gutsy effort from Jones, but Parry had too much class and faces Kalinskaya, the no 19 seed, next.
An excellent hold from Jones, forcing Parry to serve for the match at 6-4 5-4; we’re back under way on a covered Centre.
Wu went off between sets, leaving Djokovic to stiffen and stew; he’s stretching while he waits, and the roof is also coming over court. Meantime, Parry puts away a volley to lead 6-4 5-3; Jones will now serve to stay in the match.
Nakashima has been working for it, and it’s no surprise he’s got it, breaking back for 2-0 2-2. From here, I’d not be surprised were he to finish Pinnington Jones in short order.
Moving around the courts, Parry now leads Jones 6-4 4-2; Pinnington jones trials Nakashima 3-6 6-7 2-1 with a break; Bouzas Maneiro has beaten the no 27 seed, Potapova, 2 and 3; and Hijikata leads De Jong 1-1 2-1 with a break.
A Wu backhand sends Djokovic to the corner and he can’t respond; another set point to Wu. And this time, he flaps a backhand long! Wu takes the second set to level at 4-6 7-5! He’s absolutely loving it out there, and if he maintains this level, he’s a chance.
…but Wu nets a forehand, Dhaving been offered a second serve to dig into. He might regret that.
Djokovic nets a forehand, and Wu has set point…
Wu makes 0-15 and then 30-all; Djokovic is under pressure. As so often, though, a nails serve, delivered down the T, raises game point, but then a forehand drops long which means deuce. Wu fancies this, you can tell, and this, surely is his moment. If he loses this set, he’s surely done for, but if he doesn’t, who knows. Meantime, another belting serve, out wide, earns advantage … but a terrific drop, sliced cross on the backhand, restores parity. It feels like the match might be here.
With ease is the answer, a love hold secured with a runaround forehand down the line. He’s guaranteed a breaker at the very least, and looks to be enjoying himself out there; Djokovic spends change of ends meditating.
It’s amazing how, in his dotage, Djokovic has sneakily become one of the great servers, and he holds to 15 for 6-4 5-5. Can Wu handle the pressure he’s likely to face next game?
On the topic of Pinnington Jones, does anyone know why some double-barrelled surnames take a hyphen and others don’t? Pending an explanation, he’s broken Nakashima to trail 0-2 1-0.
Wu has just held for 4-6 5-4, meaning Djokovic will shortly serve to stay in set two.
Nakashima has just taken the second set to lead Pinnington Jones 6-3 7-6(5). I’ll stick that match on now.
Also going on:
That completes our No1 Court action for the day, but let’s hear from our winner, who says Linette is tricky, especially on a grass court. She’s really happy to win the match and she wishes she could be a bit more adventurous and consistent; she was complaining a lot today.
More generally, the feeling you get from winning a slam is unbelievable and she feels great, but it means you expect more from yourself and you feel more pressure; people expect a good level of tennis. Next time, she’ll try and block out those thoughts because today she was thinking about them and that’s the other side of the coin.
Finally, she’s told that she’s one of three players Serena especially admires, and she makes a face of amazement then says it feels great and maybe means something. She was considering playing doubles with Serena at Quenn’s but they decided to stick with just singles and would like to practise with her but not play her.
Mirra Andreeva (5) beats Magda Linette 7-5 6-4
Linette is no mug and gave Andreeva a decent workout without ever really threatening to beat her. Next up: Barbora Krejcikova, the 2024 champ. Tasty!
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Diane Parry has taken the first set against Fran Jones 6-4; Andreeva already has 40-0.
I’d not be at all surprised if we see a different her from now on, now she’s a grand slam champion. Though she’s young, she’s so talented it was almost assumed she’d get there, and now she has, she can play with freedom.
Thanks Billy and hi again. Andreeva has just broken Linette for 7-5 5-4, so she’ll shortly serve for the match.
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Djokovic and Wu both hold serve, the Chinese player leading 3-2 in the second set.
Daniel Harris is back, so I shall cede the floor.
Coco Gauff (7) beats Tamara Korpatsch 6-2 6-1
A straightforward assignment for the three-time grand slam winner, who wins in straight sets on Court 2 and will face Solana Sierra or Anna Bondar (level at one set all on Court 4) in round two.
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David Beckham has his eyes fixed on what is probably a phone screen in his lap. Keeping an eye on Brazil, no doubt. Bad Bunny is paying attention to the tennis from the seats next to the royal box.
Djokovic* 6-4 1-2 Wu (*denotes server): Djokovic brings up two break points. Wu wins the first with a passing shot that Djokovic can only get his racket edge to and then sends a forehand to the same place to win the second. Wu holds his nerve in the ennd.
Djokovic 6-4 1-1 Wu* (*denotes server): Wu does the splits on exactly the same spot where Djokovic went down a few minutes ago. He’s all right, picking himself up to crash one down the line to level it up at 30-30. He can’t get Djokovic’s next two serves back in the court and will have to wait a bit longer for an opportunity to break.
Djokovic* 6-4 0-1 Wu (*denotes server): Wu is in no mood to joke around, holding the first game of the second set to love. Djokovic isn’t smiling anymore either.
On Centre, Djokovic asks for an invitation to the wedding as a chap in the posh seats next to the royal box gets down on one knee during the break in play. We think she said yes.
Karolina Muchova (10th seed) is through after a 6-3 6-2 victory over Anastasia Zakharova on Court 12.
Djokovic wins the first set 6-4. A slip from the Serbian at 30-30 draws gasps from the crowd – he was wrongfooted on another powerful return from Wu, who has been growing into this one. Djokovic gets it back to deuce more than once, forces an error on the Wu return and then closes out the game and the first set.
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Coco Guaff is halfway there against Tamara Korpatsch on Court 2, winning the first set 6-2. Mirra Andreeva and Magda Linette are on serve in the second set, the Russian having won the first.
Djokovic* 5-4 Wu (*denotes server): Wu goes 30-0 up with a fizzing forehand, prompting a comment of “Too good” from Djokovic on the other side of the net. A double fault doesn’t put the Chinese off and he sends an ace out wide to make Djokovic work for the first set.
Another easy hold for Djokovic means Wu will serve to stay in the set at 5-3. On Court 18, Brandon Nakashima (28th seed) has won the first set 6-3 against Britain’s Jack Pinnington Jones.
Djokovic* 4-3 Wu (*denotes server): Djokovic buries a backhand down the line to move to 15-15 on Wu’s serve. Wu then sends a backhand long as he approaches the net but plants a forehand into green grass to level it at 30-30. A couple of scorching serves win him the game.
Djokovic 4-2 Wu* (*denotes server): Djokovic goes 15-0 up on his serve but is sent wide by Wu. The 39-year-old gets the ball back well but opts not to chase the return, saving his legs a bit. He doesn’t need to exert much energy as he wins the rest of his points to hold.
Djokovic* 3-2 Wu (*denotes server): Wu sees out a service game with a very confident couple of forehands stepping in from the baseline. He’s got some power.
Mirra Andreeva has taken the first set against Magda Linette on Court 1, 7-5, after going an early break up before the Pole fought back.
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Djokovic 3-1 Wu* (*denotes server): Wu brings some ‘oohs’ from the crowd with a superb forehand that Djokovic can’t reach in the corner, with the Serbian also acknowledging the quality of the shot. The Chinese player then goes very wayward hitting to the other side and gifts Djokovic two game points. He takes the first.
Djokovic* 2-1 Wu (*denotes server): Djokovic takes the game to Wu on his serve again. The world No 102 forces the veteran back at the baseline and extracts an error to level things at 30-30. At 40-30 up, Wu scrambles across to get to a Djokovic groundstroke and slips but strikes the ball across court out of reach to take the game. He’s on the board.
Djokovic 2-0 Wu* (*denotes server): Wu fails to get to grips with the Djokovic serve and can’t get a foothold in any point, going down to love.
Djokovic* 1-0 Wu (*denotes server): Wu doesn’t exactly have a bad start but the wise old fox is up to his old tricks, spraying the ball around and making his opponent run. His returning is a match for the Chinese’s impressive serving and it’s an early break.
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Coco Gauff, seeded 7th, walks out on Court 2 for her match against Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch. Mimi Xu’s 6-2 3-6 6-2 defeat to Daria Kasatkina on Court 16 means it’s actually 0-8 for British players today.
The 2024 champion, Barbora Krejcikova, is through in straight sets after beating Britain’s Hannah Klugman 6-1 6-4 on Court 3. That’s 0-7 for British players on the first day of the Championships.
Here comes Novak … A blazer-donning Djokovic walks out on to Centre Court, still pretty full after Aryna Sabalenka’s match, with China’s Wu Yibing. The roof is open for now. This should be fun.
Madga Linette survives a tight service game to avoid going two breaks down against Mirra Andreeva on Court 1. It’s 4-3 to the Russian, who is on serve.
Felix Auger-Aliassime (3) beats Alexander Shevchenko 6-3 6-1 6-4
Shevchenko showed some fight in the final game on Court 2, saving break point and taking it to deuce, but the third seed had too much for him in the end and wins in straight sets. A very swift display in just over an hour and a half.
Sabalenka will face McCartney Kessler in round two, who has cruised through against Oleksandra Oliynykova with a double bagel on Court 5.
A big whoop goes up on Centre as the crowd are asked to return to their seats shortly for the next match: Novak Djokovic v Wu Yibing.
“Sir David, thank you for being here,” Sabalenka says in her on-court interview, bringing a smile from David Beckham in the royal box.
“We all get nervous. It’s just part of our lives,” she says on dealing with the favourite’s tag. “With experience, I’ve learned how to deal with nerves, expectations a little bit better.
“For the first match, I feel pretty good. I rate myself 8/10.”
Aryna Sabalenka (1) beats Teodora Kostovic 6-2 6-3
Kostovic’s second serves cost her again, with Sabalenka proving too powerful to go 40-15 up. An ace from the Serbian youngster just delays the inevitable before Sabalenka sends a forehand well inside the baseline and pinging off the backboard and lets out a ‘Let’s go!’.
She’ll face McCartney Kessler or Oleksandra Oliynykova (currently 6-0 4-0 on Court 5) in the next round.
Kostovic breaks back! The 19-year-old isn’t done yet – she beats Sabalenka down the line to clinch the game at 40-30 and flaps her hand at the crowd to ask for more noise. Sabalenka leads 6-2 5-3.
Sabalenka breaks and will serve for the set. She gets very lucky with a drop shot that clips the net and dies on the other side of it at 15-15. Kostovic lets out her frustration as she sends a forehand long on the next point. The youngster saves the first break point but Sabalenka sends her packing by pouncing on a weak second serve. It’s 6-2 5-2 to the No 1 seed.
Oliver Tarvet is the latest British player to exit as he goes down in four sets to France’s Arthur Rinderknech (25th seed) on Court 12, 7-6 (4) 7-6 (4) 4-6 7-5. Mimi Xu has taken her match against Daria Kasatkina to a deciding set, though.
Sabalenka whips a forehand across court to break Kostovic and lead 3-2 in the second. She’ll want to wrap this one up fairly quickly.
The French Open champion, Mirra Andreeva is the next attraction on Court 1, up against the unseeded Pole Magda Linette. Elsewhere in the women’s draw, Leylah Fernandez (22nd seed) is out after losing a second-set tiebreak to Janice Tjen, 6-1 7-6 (3). Mimi Xu of Britain is serving for the second set against Daria Kasatkina.
Sabalenka holds against Kostovic, 2-2 in the second.
Sabalenka sends a backhand long and Kostovic, with the confidence of youth, gives it a wave as it sails beyond the baseline. The 19-year-old comes to the net to stroke a volley in that seals another hold for her, it’s 2-1 on serve in the second.
Felix Auger-Aliassime is already two sets up against Alexander Shevchenko, 6-3 6-1 on Court 2.
The British players currently in action are:
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Hannah Klugman, 1-6 0-0 v Barbora Krejcikova (Cze)
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Oliver Tarvet, 6-7 6-7 6-4 5-5 v Arthur Rinderknech (Fra)
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Mimi Xu, 2-6 4-1 v Daria Kasatkina (Aus)
Kostovic gets on the board early in the second set, holding her serve, and gestures to her box and possibly the healthier crowd on Centre to just raise the noise level a bit. She’s determined not to go quietly.
Aryna Sabalenka wins the first set 6-2 against Teodora Kostovic – the 19-year-old grew into the match after a tough start but she’ll have to really up her game to test the No 1 seed in the second set.
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Thanks Daniel. If the likes of João Fonseca and Naomi Osaka want to follow Brazil v Japan then they will have to do so away from the grounds at Wimbledon.
And that is the end of my mini-sesh. Returning in my stead is Billy Munday, so I’ll leave you with him while I try and sneak in some Brazil v Japan amid parenting duties and tennis-watching, See you in two.
Sabalenka now leads Kostovic 5-1, while Auger-Aliassime is devastating Shevchenko 6-3 5-0. And on bad day for GB – there’ve been six defeats and one pull-out, that being Jack Draper – but Oli Tarvet is still fighting down 2-1 4-4 against Rinderknech.
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Daniil Medvedev (8) beats Marin Cilic 6-1 6-2 6-4
That’s a huge win for Medvedev, who played well – though Cilic did not – and next for him it’s Mérida.
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Oh! Down 0-2 4-5, 30-all, Cilic tamely nets a backhand and Medvedev has match point…
Still to come today, we’ve got Wu v Djokovic (7), Linette v Andreeva (5), Korpatsch v Gauff (7), Muchova (10) v Zakharova and Nakashima (28) v Pinnington Jones.
Auger-Aliassime has taken the first set against Shevchenko 6-3; Medvedev leads Cilic 2-1 4-4; Krejcikova leads Klugman 2-0; Davidovich Fokina leads Cerundolo J, of Sinner/Paris fame, 6-4 3-2; and Kasatkina leads GB’s Xu 6-2.
I’m sure she’s reading, so it’s entirely appropriate to wish the wonderful Chrissy Evert all the best as she takes on cancer yet again. We’ll miss her empathetic insight these next two weeks, but look forward to having her back again soon.
Immediately, Sabalenka breaks and consolidates; welcome to the big leagues, Teodora old mate … who, as I type, is broken again to trail 0-3 in the first.
On Centre, Sabalenka is under way against the 19-year-old Kostovic. She’s made four Wimbledon semis but never a final; will this be her year? Well, she’s won neither of this year’s majors, losing to Rybakina in the Aussie Open final and collapsing against Daria Shnaider in Paris, but her best is still the best.
On 14, Struff and Baez are about to start one of the least surprising deciders we’ll come across; on No 1, Medvedev has put Cilic over the knee and leads 6-1 6-2 3-2; Rinderknech leads Tarvet 2-1 2-1l and Krejcikova hasjust got under way against GB’s Klugman.
“You should be grateful we’ve only got automated line calls, reckons Richard Hirst. “How long before we’re watching AI clones of Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk when they decide they want to win Wimbledon? My pet hate? The fifth set tiebreak. My only visit to Wimbledon was in 1969 when I saw Pancho Gonzales and Charlie Pasarell in what was then Wimbledon’s longest match. That kind of match creates memories.”
I know what you mean, but can also see why Isner-Anderson killed it and, in tennis history, we’re only talking about a few matches that went long that we couldn’t do without.
On 15, Ethan Quinn, the young American who made round three in Melbourne and Paris, has beaten Luciano Darderi, the no 14 seed, 6, 5 and 2. That’s a brilliant win; next up is Mochizuki, the Japanese qualifier.
Righto, I need to find another match to watch … and it’s going to be Auger-Aliassime (3) 2-1 Shevchenko, with a break.
She says Jacquemot waplaying amazing” in the second set so she had to dig deep and is delighted to be through in two.
As for the dress, it makes a difference because she finds fashion fun, her Japanese heritage means a lot, Wimbledon is all white, and so she wanted to come out in a kimono. She loves the film Kill Bill, referencing O-Ren Ishii’s “iconic white kimono” and she likes to be a video game character sometimes, not herself on court, and so she tried to embody the character.
People don’t believe her when she says she’s shy, but this feels like exposure therapy and she’s been more outgoing since the start of the year. It’s good for her to get out of her shell.
OK, let’s do Osaka’s interview…
Next on Centre: Aryna Sabalenka (1) v Teodora Kostovic.
Sinner, wearing a top that looks like it was knitted by his gran, says it’s a huge honour to open the tournament. This was his first appearance on grass, the third set was a tough one to lose, and it’s a big honour to play in such an arena.
Asked about his fall, he says he’s fine and the blood on his shoe makes things look worse than they are. He’s not sure if it infringes the predominantly white rule, but didn’t want to change as he and Miomir were both in rhythm.
There are a lot of nerves when you come down the stairs to Centre, he’s very happy to win the first match and he’s aiming to improve in the next one. He felt he made a lot of forehand errors in sets one and two but that’s normal first-round matches are never easy, and he tried to raise his level when he needed to.
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Jannik Sinner (1) beats Miomir Kecmanovic 4-6 6-3 (6)6-7 6-2 6-3
The champ blows away the cobwebs and looked strong in the final two sets. Next for him: Nuno Borges.
Fonseca wlil be delighted to be off court so early…
Kecmanovic holds, meaning Sinner must now serve for the match at 5-3 in the fifth.
Naomi Osaka (14) beats Elsa Jacquemot 6-1 7-5
Next for her comes Gasanova or Arango, and she looked excellent – on more ways than one.
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Sinner holds for 5-2 in the fifth, and Kecmanovic doesn’t quite have the game to make it happen when it’s tight. Meantime, Osaka has indeed broken Jacquemot and, at 6-1 6-5 have three match points…
João Fonseca (24) beats Roberto Bautista Agut 7-6(4) 6-4 6-3
This is Bautista Agut’s last Wimbledon, so the two share a nice moment at the end. He’s also the best footballer on tour – he was on Villarreal’s books – a mantel that might soon pass to Flavio Cobolli. ext for Fonseca: De Jong or Hijikata.
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It’s been a great effort, but Kecmanovic might be done for. Down 15-40, he nets a forehand, and at 4-2 in the fifth, Sinner is just two games from victory.
Back on Centre, Sinner leads Kecmanovic 3-2 on serve in the fifth; Osaka leads Jacquemot 6-1 5-5; Medvedev leads Sinner 6-1 3-2 on serve; Tarvet has just broken Rinderknech to trail 6-7 6-7 4-3; and Maroszan leads Tirante 7-5 3-1.
Zheng thanks the crowd for their support, saying it’s an honour to be part of a match like this, and it’s every kid’s dream. Asked about his composure, he says it’s not easy but he tries his best not to show it – it’s frustrating when you’ve not converted chances, but he tries to keep things inside.
Wimbledon is “far and away the best tournament” and he hopes to keep the run going in “an amazing place.”
I can’t wait to see him in round two.
Michael Zheng beats Cameron Norrie (26) (7)6-7 6-2 (2)6-7 6-3 7-6(4)
A brilliant performance from Zheng and the win of his life earns him a match with either Vallejo or Mejia next. He’ll take that.
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Oh, and humdinging forehand, backing away to the backhand side to go corner to corner, means Zheng has five match points at 9-4 in the match breaker!
Zheng is playing a fine breaker, a pair of holds giving him 7-4, then an error from Norrie tajes him two points away at 8-4. This is an amazing show of big-match temperament.
A superb return allows Norrie to the net, where he puts away a volley to retrieve the mini-break at 3-3; on Centre, Sinner is playing fairly well, leading 2-1 in the fifth.
It was coming: back on 3, Osaka breaks Jacquemot for 6-1 3-4, and the way she’s playing from here she might well run away with it.
Yes he can, and impressively so too. And Zheng also holds, with greater aggravation, meaning he and Norrie are now playing a match breaker … in which he leads 2-0 having been handed a double.
Sinner holds for 1-0, also in the fifth, and this next game is a biggun. Can Kecmanovic force his way into the set with a hold?
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Medvedev has taken a 6-1 set off Cilic, then held for 1-0 in the second; on two, Norrie leads 6-5 in the fifth and we’re on deuce, Zheng serving.
“Mixed feelings watching the Sinner-Kecmanovic game,” admits Simon Morris. “Lack of line judges makes the court tidier somehow, but the emotionless robo-calls lack sense of occasion – couldn’t they have programmed it with authentic line-judge grunts and shouts? Call me a luddite, but that was part of the Wimbles experience.”
I agree – I think I’d prefer humans and errors than computers and perfection.
In five-setters, Sinner’s record is … 6-12. In fairness, of those defeats, one came against Nadal, two against Djokovic, three Alcaraz, one Zverev and one Medvedev, but he’ll know about it and who knows if it’s spooking him a little. We’ll soon see – having nipped off for a break, he’s now back and we’re ready to move.
As discussed, I’ve got four matches on, so there’s a fair amount of noise in my box room. But by far the loudest is coming from the commentary team watching Zheng v Norrie – they’re absolutely loving the youngster’s performance and prospects.
Sinner gets to advantage … then Kecmanovic goes long on the forehand. That concludes a 6-2 set and as a consequence of clinching it with a break, Sinner will be serving first in the decider.
Wow, Zheng holds to love and actually, this has the feel of a match that could go a ridiculous distance, had we not inserted the match breaker into proceedings. Norrie is serving at 5-5 in the fifth; Medvedev leads Cilic 5-1 in the first; having taken the first 6-1, Osaka now trials Jacquemot 3-0 in the second; Rinderknech leads Tarvet 7-6 7-6; and Fonseca is nearly home, up 7-6 6-4 5-2 on Bautista Agut.
Gosh, but Norrie then goes for too much, perhaps incited so to do by Zheng’s ridiculous court-coverage … but again, his serve saves him. And from there, Norrie serves out, roaring at the crowd; he leads 5-4 in the fifth, and now has a chance to break for the match. Sinner meantime, has consolidated for 5-2 in the fourth; we look headed for a decider.
OK, Sinner lays a drop, Kecmanovic can’t get it back, he has two break points at 15-40 ... and he only needs one, a forehand to the corner returned long while, on 2, a brilliant forehand winner from the corner means Zheng has break point at 4-4 in the fifth … but nets a return. This is a jazzer of a match – if you can, get it on.
On No 2, Zheng is playing beautifully, saluting the crowd after a winner and holding through deuce for 4-4 in the fifth. He looks at least as fresh as the famously well-conditioned Norrie, and I don’t think he’ll bottle it as we near the finish line.
Osaka is far, far too good for Jacquemot, securing a 6-1 set while, on No 1, Medvedev has broken cilic early doors for 2-1 in the first.
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Back with the champ, he’s up 2-1 in the fourth, on serve, but Kecmanovic will take some breaking. He’s not, actually, the kind I’d expect to give one of the greats grief – he’s decent all round, but lacks big weapons. For now, though, he’s playing pretty much as well as he can, levelling at 2-2 in the time it takes me to type out this post.
Osaka is into it now, leading Jacquemot 4-1 in the first. I don’t think she can win the competition without first improving her volleying, or at least incorporating net-play into her game, but she’s capable of beating anyone on any surface in a one-off; including Aryna Sabalenka, whom she’s seeded to meet in round four.
Like the group stages of the World Cup, the first week of Wimbledon isn’t really about the favourites, rather the surprise classics and upsets. But if Sinner were to lose here, we’d be talking about one of the biggest first-round shocks of all time; two others bigguns that come to mind, Dooohan beating Becker in 1987 and Dustin Brown seeing off Nadal in 2015, were in round two.
Righto, let’s have a look around the courts. Norrie leads Zheng 2-1 in the fifth, on serve; Osaka leads Jacquemot 2-1; Rinderknech leads Tarvet 7-6 3-4; Fonseca leads Bautista Agut 7-6 6-4 1-0; and Cilic is just about to serve in game one against Medvedev.
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Kecmanovic holds for 7-6, then a big forehand takes control of the next point, Sinner swats a backhand, he leaves it … and it’s long! MIOMIR KECMANOVIC LEADS JANNIK SINNER, THE DEFENDING CHAMPION, BY TWO SETS TO ONE! WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON?!
Naomi Osaka makes a very stylish entrance
What a brilliant, brilliant woman. Osaka is already a superstar, but if she can just assert herself at the very top once more, she’ll go stratospheric.
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Oh my days! An absurd rally doth ensue, Sinner in control, but then Kecmanovic gets back a drop, the return lob isn’t high enough, and a backhand overhead allows him to eventually secure the point from there. This is terrific stuff and we’re now at 6-6.
Well you’ll have to wait a while longer because Sinner has just overhit a backhand down the line – how rarely do we see that? – and he’s down 4-5. Of course, he then nails a forehand to level us up again, back it up with an ace, and Kecmanovic must now serve at 5-6 down .
Of course, what you’re really wondering is what did Osaka wear on to court. Are you ready?
Sinner immediately nabs a mini-break, but Kecmanovic really fancies this – I wonder if what happened in Paris has removed his aura of invincibility, for himself as well as his opponents, and we’re back level at 3-3.
Naomi Osaka is now on court, so we’ll scrub Fonseca – sorry, Joao – and get to her. She doesn’t love grass because she rarely comes to net, but she played really well in Paris and is always brilliant to watch.
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Sinner is another with a nasty first-round draw, and he’s serving for a third-set breaker against Kecmanovic … holding to 15. This is about to get very interesting.
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Michael Zheng, a 22-year-old American, has just taken the fourth set off Norrie 6-3; they’ll now play a decider.
Hubert Hurkacz beats Casper Ruud (11) 6-4 6-2 7-6(7)
An extremely unshocking shock, the grass-court specialist beating the clay man in straights. Next for him: Medjedovic or Ofner.
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I’m sad to see Rublev go so early. Roman Safiullin was a brutal first-round draw and deserved his win, but Rublev is a lovely bloke with a lot of talent; I’m beginning to fear his struggles with the mental side will prevent him from developing into the player we hoped.
Jelena Ostapenko beats Harriet Dart 6-3 3-6 6-4
That was a belter of a tussle, but the favourite beats the brit and meets Ruzic or Semenistaja next.
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Of course I’ve got Sinner 4-6 6-3 4-5 Kecmanovic on my main screen, and we’ll also go with Cilic v Medvedev (8), soon to get under way on No 1. Then, on laptop and phone, we’ll take in Zheng 6-7 6-2 6-7 5-2 Norrie and Bautista Agut 6-7 2-3 Fonseca. I realise those are uniformly men’s matches, but they’re the best we’ve got on court currently, and as soon as that changes, so will we.
Thanks Billy and Happy Fortnight everyone. Now, which matches to watch…
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Daniel Harris is here to guide you through the remainder of this one.
Sinner 4-6, 6-3, 4-4 Kecmanovic (*denotes server): Sinner has some sort of problem with his left foot, with what looks like blood oozing out of his shoe. Nevertheless, he holds serve as we enter the business end of the third set.
More women’s singles results:
M Sawangkaew (Tha) bt M Chwalinska (Pol, 20) 2-6, 7-5, 6-2
Wang X (Chn) bt E Cocciaretto (It) 6-3, 2-6, 6-2
T Maria (Ger) bt Y Putintseva (Kaz) 6-4, 6-4
Z Sonmez (Tur) bt A Li (US, 28) 7-5, 1-6, 6-4
The shock French Open finalist, Maja Chwalinska, is out.
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Sinner* 4-6, 6-3, 3-4 Kecmanovic (*denotes server): Another slip from Sinner costs him on break point on the Kecmanovic serve, with a backhand down the line going awry. Kecmanovic gets the advantage and seals the game after Sinner crashes one into the net. Big hold from the Serbian.
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Sinner holds at 3-3 in the third. Some more results …
Men’s singles:
T Paul (US, 21) bt A Muller (Fr) 6-1, 6-2, 6-1
I Buse (Per, 31) bt E Nava (US) 7-6 (3), 3-6, 7-5, 6-0
M Damm (US) bt M Trungelliti (Arg) 7-6 (5), 6-7 (5), 7-6 (2), 7-6 (5)
B van de Zandschulp (Neth) bt A Kovacevic (US) 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-0
D Merida (Sp) bt C Ugo Carabelli (Arg) 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 3-0 ret
R Safiullin bt A Rublev (12) 6-4, 6-7 (6), 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (12)
L Tien (US, 16) bt D Svrcina (Cz) 6-1, 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-3
Andriy Rublev is the first seed to go out in the men’s draw.
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Elsewhere, Cam Norrie has won the third set on a tiebreak against Michael Zheng on No 2 Court (7-6, 2-6, 7-6, 0-0) and Harriet Dart is giving Jelena Ostapenko a run for her money on No 1 Court after winning the second set 6-3 to level things up. It’s 4-3 Ostapenko on serve in the third.
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Sinner* 4-6, 6-3, 2-3 Kecmanovic (*denotes server): Sinner plays on after that fall and saves a game point on the Kecmanovic serve. The Serbian holds his nerve and his serve with a smash at the net. Sinner isn’t moving totally freely but doesn’t feel the need to call the trainer as both players head back to their seats.
Everybody on Centre Court has their heart in their mouths as Jannik Sinner is wrongfooted and is sent sprawling on the baseline, his left leg folding unnaturally underneath him. Both he and Miomir Kecmanovic have been holding their serve in the third set.
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Lime bikes and Uber swelling early queue numbers at Wimbledon
Emine Sinmaz and Rachel Hall have been checking out the queue at Wimbledon Park on the first day of the championships …
There were already 10,000 people in the Wimbledon queue by 8.30am on the first day of the Championships, with some fans having joined the line on Saturday morning.
The AELTC chief executive, Sally Bolton, said the queue had become increasingly popular because fans have more travel options and don’t need to rely on the tube.
“We are advising people if they haven’t already set off to travel, not to travel because the queue is effectively full,” she told journalists on Monday morning.
“I think back to that period post-Covid where we were somewhat nervous that the queue might die, and, ironically, the queue has become increasingly popular over that period of time.
“But also, the way people travel and engage with things has also changed. For those of you that have queued, you will know that the time you used to have to arrive was the first tube into Southfields. But now with the availability of Lime, and other available branded bikes, people can get to the queue much more easily from slightly further away rather than waiting for the first tubes.”
On Monday queue-goers told the Guardian they had scoured social media for hacks on when to arrive to secure their spots – and insisted the hours-long wait was part of the fun.
Daria Wenger drove from Beckenham to arrive in the queue at 2am on Monday. She slept with her husband and son in a tent. “The weather was kind to us, not raining, not too hot,” she said. “It takes time, but it’s fun. It’s additional entertainment.”
Lily and Kai Cheng flew in from New York, arriving at 6pm on Sunday. They stayed in a hotel and booked an Uber to arrive at 5am after consulting ChatGPT for advice.
“There were already 5,000 people ahead of us,” said Lily. “We’re New Yorkers. We don’t like standing in queues for too long, but this has been so pleasant. It’s so organised.”
The pair are big tennis fans and Wimbledon has been on their bucket list for over a decade.
“Wimbledon is more fair for people who really want to watch tennis. The US Open is about who has the most money, who can pay the highest price for that little ticket,” said Kai.
Their friend Fatima Hussein had taken an Uber 11 miles from Purley in Surrey to join them. She attended 12 years ago, when she had been able to access the ground by arriving at 11am.
Renee Sang and Joshua Sodergren came by Uber from Crystal Palace at 4am and obtained their ground passes just before noon.
“It’s been lovely. I feel like this is the most orderly queue. It’s just very well structured. I thought we’d be roughing it more, but there’s bathrooms,” said Sang.
The pair turned to social media to plan their visit, and arrived half an hour earlier than planned, based on advice shared on Reddit. Their one disappointment was missing Emma Raducanu, who pulled out of Wimbledon on Sunday due to a leg injury. “It would have been nice to see a British star,” said Sodergren.
Nino Bianco, 44, from Luton, left his local hotel by Uber at 4am. “I just love the experience. The queue is like a ritual to get you into the mood,” he said. He changed approach, booking an Uber to join the queue before the first tube starts running after missing out on tickets two years ago.
Hannah Stuart and Rosie McGahn, both 26, arrived at 7pm to camp overnight on Sunday, after consulting TikTok for tips. They were handed out a number – were 2,200th in the queue – and pitched their tent for the night. “We got pizza and had a nice little time,” said Stuart. They were woken up by stewards at 5am, and rejoined the queue. “By 6am there was something like 8,000 people,” she added.
Bolton, who is standing down at the end of the Championships, said the club was having to adapt the way it operates the queue due to its popularity.
“We’ve got amazing matches, the sun is shining, you know all of those ingredients to make it so popular, but [the queue is] such an important part of what we do, so we’ll do everything we can to protect it.
“People are getting there earlier and earlier because they recognise that the dynamics of travel have changed a little bit so you do have to now get here really quite early to be at the front of the queue.”
Sinner 4-6, 6-3 1-1 Kecmanovic* (*denotes server): After a steady Kecmanovic hold at the start of the third set, Sinner responds with one of his own. Kecmanovic is spared on the first game point by a miscued drop shot from Sinner but he can’t get to the rapid first serve that follows.
Pegula hits out at four-year ban handed to Vondrousova for refusing anti-doping test
Jessica Pegula has slammed the four-year ban given to former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova for refusing an anti-doping test.
Vondrousova did not submit a sample when notified by a doping control officer during an out-of-competition test attempt at her home in December 2025.
The 27-year-old Czech, who won Wimbledon in 2023, claimed “months of physical and mental stress” affected her decision making, in addition to concerns for her safety.
Players are required to log their whereabouts for an allotted hour each day so that authorities can conduct anti-doping tests outside of competition.
Vondrousova’s ban has sparked debate in the tennis world, with Pegula hitting out at the decision after her Wimbledon first-round win against Darja Vidmanova on Monday.
“It’s just really unfortunate. I feel like for Marketa, I don’t know the ins and outs of exactly what happened, it seems like there’s a lot of ‘he said, she said’ kind of things going on right now,” Pegula said.
“But I just think for something like that, for four years, you’re ruining someone’s career over something that could have really just been a complete misunderstanding.
“I just don’t think that’s fair. I think the sentencing is so harsh.”
Vondrousova, who responded to the ban by insisting she “never doped”, is believed to be considering a potential appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
“I don’t know if she’s going to appeal it with Cas or what’s going on. I just think there has got to be a solution where we’re not just totally destroying someone’s career over something where she didn’t even test positive,” Pegula said. AFP
Well, that is pretty desparate news for Jack Draper, who has missed so much action in the last year with that arm injury. A recurrence of it now, on the eve of his match against Taylor Fritz, is a bitter blow. And it’s tough on British tennis too, with Emma Raducanu also pulling out the day before her first-round match with a stress fracture.
Sinner wins second set 6-3 against Kecmanovic
Sinner punishes another iffy Kecmanovic drop shot to start well. A looping return from the Serbian is also put away but a double fault at 30-0 just makes things interesting. A confident backhand down the line brings up set point and an ace seals the deal.
One set all – Kecmanovic won the first 6-4, Sinner the second 6-3.
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Sinner* 4-6, 5-3 Kecmanovic (*denotes server): Kecmanovic plops a drop shot into the net at 15-0 but recovers to force Sinner into an error on the baseline. He brings up game point with a smashed ace out wide and seals it with a backhand that just about clips the line. Sinner now serving for the second set.
Sinner 4-6, 5-2 Kecmanovic* (*denotes server): Meanwhile Kecmanovic pushes the Sinner serve to deuce and some consistent baseline hitting from the Italian forces an error to bring up game point. A tentative drop shot from Kecmanovic is punished and he is now serving to stay in the second set.
Jack Draper withdraws with recurring arm injury
Jack Draper has been forced to withdraw from Wimbledon after suffering a relapse of the arm injury that has sidelined him for much of the past.
Draper had been scheduled to compete in one of the most widely-discussed first round matches against the sixth seed, Taylor Fritz, on Tuesday. He had only just been returning from another injury layoff, with his appearance in Eastbourne last week marking his first tournament in two and a half months after struggling with knee tendonitis. Draper’s left arm injury, a bone bruise, had forced him off the tour for seven months between last July and February.
In a statement, Draper said: “Devastated to share that I have had to withdraw from my first round match due to a recurrence of my arm injury. There have been a lot of painful moments in the last 12 months but this one is definitely the absolute worst as there is no greater honour for a British player than playing at Wimbledon. I will continue to persevere through this. Thank you for the support!!”
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Sinner* 4-6, 4-2 Kecmanovic (*denotes server): Sinner and Kecmanovic play out a varied rally of drop shots, lobs and volleys at 30-30 on the Serbian’s serve. Kecmanovic wins that but Sinner takes it to deuce with an unstoppable overhead. A shanked backhand from Sinner brings up game point and the Italian sends another return wide.
Brit watch: Cam Norrie has lost the second set on No 2 Court 6-2 to Michael Zheng of the US after winning the first 7-6. Harriet Dart is a break up against Jelena Ostapenko on No 1 Court, leading 2-5 in the second set after losing the first.
Sinner 4-6, 4-1 Kecmanovic* (*denotes server): An ace down the T brings up 30-0 for Sinner. He sends the next serve into Kecmanovic’s body and dispatches it on the return. The Italian seals the hold to love by stepping into the net and forcing an error.
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Sinner* 4-6, 3-1 Kecmanovic (*denotes server): A wayward drifting drop shot from Sinner gives Kecmanovic three goes at game point. Sinner saves the first, scrambling to the net to whip a backhand across court, but sends a backhand long and Kecmanovic holds.
Sinner 4-6, 3-0 Kecmanovic* (*denotes server): After a confident stroked forehand brings up 15-0, Sinner can’t get any of four serves (two lets, two faults) in on the next point. He makes no mistake with an overhead that pings into the crowd or an ace down the T to bring up two game points. Kecmanovic’s return off a second serve is into the net.
Sinner* 4-6, 2-0 Kecmanovic (*denotes server): It’s the Serbian’s turn to be a bit jittery on his serve. Sinner goes up through the gears to bring up two break points and Kecmanovic crashes one into the net as the Italian slips on the baseline. Relief for Sinner.
Sinner 4-6, 1-0 Kecmanovic* (*denotes server): Better from Sinner. Kecmanovic sneaks a backhand down the line to level the first game of the second set at 15-15. Sinner allows himself a wry smile as he sends a backhand the other side of a retreating Kecmanovic for 30-15, then follows it up with a fizzing crosscourt backhand to bring up game point. An ace seals the game.
That was a very strange end to the set. Sinner looked like he was finding some rhythm when he held serve to lead 4-3 but a couple of double faults in his next service game opened the door for Kecmanovic, who then punished a string of Sinner mistakes to serve out the set.
Kecmanovic wins first set 6-4 against Sinner
Well, well, well. Kecmanovic forces an out-of-sorts Sinner into a couple of errors at the baseline. The Italian then whacks a forehand wide to concede an eighth point in a row … a backhand then goes into the net and Kecmanovic takes the first set!
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Sinner 4-5 Kecmanovic* (*denotes server): Now then! A break for Kecmanovic, who comes from 40-0 down. Sinner doesn’t mess about at the start of the service game, with another ace off a kicking second serve at 30-0. Kecmanovic digs deep to save a couple of game points before Sinner rattles a nervy second serve into the net. At deuce, another double fault brings up break point for Kecmanovic … and then Sinner hits the net with a forehand!
Sinner* 4-4 Kecmanovic (*denotes server): Another strong service game. Sinner bats one backhand return into the crowd off the rim of his racket. Kecmanovic makes up for a double fault by winning another short rally, but Sinner saves the first game point. He sprays a forehand long and wide and it’s another hold.
Sinner 4-3 Kecmanovic* (*denotes server): The defending champion is finding his rhythm on serve. He peppers Kecmanovic with a 130mph first serve and then a flat volley to level things up at 15-15. A devilish second serve eludes Kecmanovic, who can’t get the next two serves back either.
Sinner* 3-3 Kecmanovic (*denotes server): Sinner hits the net after a string of exchanged forehands, then does the same twice more as Kecmanovic’s power tests the Italian. The Serbian brings a bit of variety to his game with a wonderful drop shot to wrap up the game nicely.
Sinner 3-2 Kecmanovic* (*denotes server): Sinner executes a drop shot to perfection to go 30-0 up on his serve, then forces Kecmanovic very wide with a first serve and the Serbian sprays his crosscourt return just as wide – but out. Kecmanovic gets another return wrong and Sinner holds.
Sinner* 2-2 Kecmanovic (*denotes server): Kecmanovic powers a forehand down the line to go 30-15 up, then breaks Sinner’s resistance on the backhand to bring up game point. The Serbian sends a crosscourt backhand just wide of the line but Sinner’s return on the next point is long. Both players have lost just one point on their first serve so far.
No 1 Court: Harriet Dart fought back a bit in the first set against Jelena Ostapenko after an early ankle problem but went down 6-3.
No 2 Court: Cam Norrie has won a thrilling first-set tiebreak against Michael Zheng.
Sinner 2-1 Kecmanovic* (*denotes server): A far from straightforward hold. Sinner sends a backhand just long and then pushes one into the net, opening the door for Kecmanovic at 0-30. An ace down the T settles the nerves … but only until a big miss down the line after a Kecmanovic return kicked up nicely. Another ace saves the first break point and a stroked crosscourt forehand saves the second. A wild overhead at the net costs Kecmanovic another crack at break point and Sinner eventually wraps the game up.
Sinner* 1-1 Kecmanovic (*denotes server): Sinner puts down a marker on Kecmanovic’s first service point with a backhand winner. The Serbian demonstrates his power with a forehand down the line that forces an error and gives him a 30-15 lead. Sinner hits the net off a first serve and then goes long with a backhand. A good response from Kecmanovic.
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Sinner 1-0 Kecmanovic* (*denotes server): Kecmanovic prods Sinner’s first serve into the net. The Serbian’s second return is in but Sinner makes him work around the court and a looping backhand drops wide. Sinner drops his first ace of the game to bring up 40-0. Kecmanovic’s return on a second serve eludes Sinner to save the first game point but he hits the net during the next rally. A strong start from the defending champion.
Jannik Sinner walks on to a full house at centre court as he begins the defence of his first Wimbledon title. Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic is his opponent. A jet-setting David Beckham is in the royal box with his mum. He gets everywhere at the moment. Mary Berry wants a picture.
There is a certain amount of pressure on the world No 1, not only because he is the defending champion for the first time but because of what happened at the French Open. The Italian was nailed on for that title but wilted in the second round against Juan Manuel Cerundolo, losing a 30-match winning streak in the process. Like at Roland Garros, Carlos Alcaraz is not in SW19 owing to a wrist injury – there’s no doubt it’s Sinner’s to lose.
Sinner has won all four matches on tour against Kecmanovic, not dropping a set. They met in the third round here two years ago, with Sinner winning 6-1, 6-4, 6-2.
Zheng times his first break of the match perfectly to deny Norrie his first opportunity to take the first set and it’s 5-5.
Dart is back out on No 1 Court after ankle treatment but is now another break down against Ostapenko, 0-4.
Michael Zheng fights back to stay in the first set against Cam Norrie, who was 0-30 up leading 5-4 but now has to serve out the set on No 2 Court.
Harriet Dart has taken a medical timeout and is receiving treatment from the physio on her left ankle. She is 0-3 and a break down to Jelena Ostapenko on No 1 Court.
More first-round results to bring you …
Men’s singles:
J Brooksby (US) bt A Vukic (Aus) 7-6 (7), 6-1, 6-1
S Mochizuki (Jpn) bt M Basing (GB) 6-3, 6-0, 6-0
Not what Max Basing will have been hoping for on debut at his home grand slam.
Women’s singles:
I Jovic (US, 16) bt J Cristian (Rom) 7-6 (1), 6-0
Well, that was fun. Elsewhere, play is under way on No 1 Court with Jelena Ostapenko holding in the first game against Britain’s Harriet Dart. Cam Norrie is a break of serve up against Michael Zheng in the first set (4-2) on No 2 Court. Jannik Sinner is preparing to walk out on to Centre Court to start the defence of his title against Miomir Kecmanovic.
“It was a really tough match. Felix played really well throughout the whole match,” says a magnanimous Rafa Jodar, in very good English. “I wish him the best for the rest of the season.”
Playing on grass is always special. Wimbledon is one of the most prestigious tournaments and I’m really grateful to play here in front of so many people.
I think my game is good on the surface but I haven’t played much on it so I have to get used to it – that’s why I came here early to Wimbledon.
The 19-year-old will face his fellow Spaniard Pablo Carreño Busta in round two – Denis Shapovalov retired after the first two sets of their match on Court 6.
Felix Gill takes the applause from the crowd and Rafa Jodar as he leaves the court after a very decent first match in the main draw at Wimbledon for the 24-year-old British wildcard.
Rafael Jodar beats Felix Gill 6-3, 6-3, 7-5
It’s all over before the tiebreak. Patient play from Jodar forces a couple of errors from Gill to make it 15-30. Jodar shows his class in the following rally to coax the ball out of a charging Gill’s reach. Match point is just as well executed, as Gill sends a forehand long, but it’s all about the Spanish youngster. How far can he go on his Wimbledon debut?
Jodar 6-3, 6-3, 6-5 Gill* (*denotes server): It’s a comfortable hold for the Spaniard as a couple of wayward shots from Gill puts the pressure straight back on him. Will we get a tiebreak or does the wildcard’s debut end here?
Jodar* 6-3, 6-3, 5-5 Gill (*denotes server): Jodar gives a thumbs-up after a worldie of a crosscourt backhand from Gill puts him 30-15 up on his serve. A solid first serve at 40-15 is too much for Jodar to handle and Gill fights on.
Jodar 6-3, 6-3, 5-4 Gill* (*denotes server): The Spaniard moves to within one game of the second round as Gill sends a forehand long off Jodar’s serve at 40-0. The 24-year-old British wildcard is now serving to stay in it.
Updated
Jodar* 6-3, 6-3, 4-4 Gill (*denotes server): After Jodar holds, another Gill service game goes to deuce multiple times. Gill saves one break point and powers in a couple of first serves to force Jodar into a errors.
Updated
A reminder of what’s coming up on the show courts (all times BST):
Centre Court (1.30pm start)
J Sinner (Ita, 1) v M Kecmanovic (Ser)
A Sabalenka (1) v T Kostovic (Ser)
Y Wu (Chn) v N Djokovic (Ser, 7)
No 1 Court (1pm start)
J Ostapenko (Lat) v H Dart (GB)
M Cilic (Cro) v D Medvedev (8)
M Linette (Pol) v M Andreeva (5)
Emma Raducanu was due to be first up on No 1 Court but has had to pull out of her match against Antonia Ruzic owing to injury.
Jodar* 6-3, 6-3, 3-3 Gill (*denotes server): Both players hold serve relatively comfortably, with Jodar sending a forehand wide at 40-0 on Gill’s serve.
Jodar* 6-3, 6-3, 2-2 Gill (*denotes server): Jodar holds his service game before breaking Gill to level the third set. Gill had to save one break point but a shanked forehand from the baseline lands long of the other one and Jodar takes the break.
“I can chill for the rest of the day,” says a relieved Jessica Pegula, who was happy to be on first on No 2 Court. She was certainly given a test by Darja Vidmanova in the first set before easing away in the second. The fourth seed will face Sara Sorribes Tormo in round two – the Spaniard has seen off Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva 6-2, 6-3 on Court 10.
Jessica Pegula beats Darja Vidmanova 7-5, 6-3
The American fourth seed is through to the second round after racing away with it in the second set. Vidmanova stretches to send a forehand wide at 15-30 before spraying another shot wide of the same line, leaving Pegula to seal the match.
Updated
Jodar* 6-3, 6-3, 0-2 Gill (*denotes server): Great start to the second set from Felix Gill, who breaks in the first game and holds the second. Gill saved a break point at 30-40 with a sliced backhand that Jodar put into the net. Jodar misses a return on Gill’s second serve at deuce, then Gill powered a forehand down the line to take the game.
A couple of results: Belinda Bencic, the Swiss 10th seed, has cruised past 17-year-old British player Mika Stojsavljevic 6-2, 6-1 on Court 18.
On Court 9, France’s Luca van Assche has retired against Marton Fucsovics – the Hungarian was leading 6-3, 4-0 before Van Assche called it a day.
Pegula 7-5, 4-2 Vidmanova* (*denotes server): Pegula takes control of the second set by breaking straight back and then holding on her service game with a final backhand down the line.
Jodar 6-3, 6-3 Gill: Jodar breaks to love to clinch the second set as Gill sends an unconvincing backhand beyond the baseline. It’s a long way back for the British player now but the Spanish 26th seed has been impressive on his Wimbledon debut.
Jodar 6-3, 5-3 Gill* (denotes server): Jodar holds his nerve in a tricky service game, with Gill sending a shot long on game point. That was a good opportunity for the British player but Jodar will now serve for the second set.
Pegula 7-5, 2-2 Vidmanova* (denotes server) Vidmanova breaks back to level the second set with the fourth seed, who saved one break point but whacks a backhand into the net on next one.
To update you on what’s happening in our featured matches – Jessica Pegula has a break of serve in the second set against Darja Vidmanova on No 2 Court, leading 2-1 in games. Rafael Jódar also has a break of serve in the second against Britain’s Felix Gill – it’s 4-3 there.
Thanks Yara. Get yourself in line for some strawberries and cream.
One match worth mentioning is the one between the former Olympic champion Belinda Bencic and the 17-year-old British player Mika Stojsavljevic. The teenager had a great start out on Court 18, winning the first couple of games, but Bencic has turned the screw and leads 6-2, 4-0.
Updated
I am off to explore but Billy Munday is here to take you through the early afternoon scores.
Scores across the courts
No 2 Court: Jessica Pegula (USA) [4] 7-5 Darja Vidmanova (CZE)
No 3 Court: Rafael Jodar (ESP) [23] 6-3, 3-1 Felix Gill (GBR)
Court 12: Mananchaya Sawangkaew (THA) 5-2 Maja Chwalinska (POL) [20]
Court 18: Belinda Bencic (SUI) [11] 6-2, 1-0 Mika Stojsavljevic (GBR)
Court 4: Emilio Nava (USA) 6-6 Ignacio Buse (PER) [31]
Court 5: Marco Trungelliti (ARG) 5-6 Martin Damm (USA)
Court 6: Denis Shapovalov (CAN) 3-6 Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP)
Court 7: Aleksandar Kovacevic (USA) 3-6, 1-0 Botic van de Zandschulp (NED)
Court 8: Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) 6-6 Jenson Brooksby (USA)
Court 9: Luca Van Assche (FRA) 3-5 Marton Fucsovics (HUN)
Court 10: Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP) 6-2, 1-1 Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva (AND)
Court 14: Shintaro Mochizuki (JPN) 4-3 Max Basing (GBR)
Court 15: Jaqueline Cristian (ROU) 5-6 Iva Jovic (USA) [16]
Court 16: Andrey Rublev [12] 4-6, 1-0 Roman Safiullin
Court 17: Dalibor Svrcina (CZE) 1-6, 2-0 Learner Tien (USA) [16]
Pegula* 5-5 Vidmanova (* denotes server): A nice rally wins Vidmanova the first point of the game after Pegula hits a forehand out. Another deep, hard forehand goes out for the American and her first serve percentage begins to dip too. Another long forehand and Vidmanova leads 40-15 and … Pegula hits another forehand out to hand her opponent the set. That was a frustrating watch for the American’s team, I am sure.
Pegula 5-4 Vidmanova* (* denotes server): Huge turnaround from Vidmanova, who is giving Pegula a bit of her own medicine, making the American move around the court. Pegula now to serve for the set.
Jodar* 6-3 Gill (* denotes server): The Spaniard takes the first set with great efficiency, very smooth serves and finishing any returns with relative ease.
Gill hit 4 aces compared to Jodar’s 1 but the 23rd seed won 93% of his first serve points and 88% of his second serve points.
Pegula* 4-2 Vidmanova (* denotes server): A bit more competitive from Vidmanova who makes it 40-40 with a stunning punchy forehand down the line. She gets the advantage and sees out the game with a bit of luck after the ball clips the net.
Jodar* 3-2 Gill (* denotes server): Big ace from Jodar as I switch to this game to make it 40-0 before a beautiful serve-volley move – incredibly sharp to close down the net like that.
Pegula 3-0 Vidmanova* (* denotes server): No aggression at all from Vidmanova and Pegula is taking control of every point. The American breaks again without a single rally yet to be seen.
Pegula* 2-0 Vidmanova (* denotes server): The American fourth seed has found her range and tempo right away here, breaking in the first game and then holding to love in the second. She is being dictating and dominating from the middle of the court, forcing Vidmanova into covering so much ground.
Jodar* 2-1 Gill (* denotes server): The Spaniard is playing his first pro-level game on grass but it does not really look like it. A few more good serves and then a final smash down the centre seals his hold.
Updated
Jodar 1-1 Gill* (* denotes server): Gill speeds to a 40-0 lead with some big serves and a powerful forehand down the line. Jodar gets back into it to make it 40-15 but the Spaniard’s wild return at game point is well out and Gill gets on the board.
Updated
Jodar* 1-0 Gill (* denotes server): What a great story we have on Court 3 here with both Jodar and Gill are making their Wimbledon singles debuts. Jodar was ranked No 677 a year ago. He turned professional at the end of last year and has since enjoyed a meteoric rise up the rankings. A first ATP title in April was followed by cracking the world’s top 50 and reaching the quarter-finals at Roland-Garros.
The British wildcard Gill is the world No 220, attended Wimbledon with his father, Matthew, before he died from myeloid melanoma, a blood cancer, in 2022, so this tournament means a lot to him.
Jodar wins the first game after some good serving in front of a packed Court 3.
Updated
Play is about to begin across most of the grounds. I will be bringing you updates from Rafael Jodar v Felix Gill on Court 3 and Jessica Pegula v Darja Vidmanova on Court 2 plus score updates from across the courts as and when they come.
Women’s singles: Aryna Sabalenka has been at the top of the WTA rankings since late 2024, but the Belarusian has only won one grand slam title in the past 18 months, despite reaching four finals. She also suffered a collapse against Diana Shnaider in the French Open quarter-finals last month, losing the last 10 games in a row. She said after that she wanted to “quit tennis” but has since worked with a psychologist and said she was not affected as much by losing to Jessica Pegula in this month’s Berlin Open semi-finals.
“I felt really good throughout the tournament there. I struggled a little bit here and there, (but) overall I feel like things are clicking back together,” she said ahead of her opening match against the Serbian qualifier Teodora Kostovic. The four-times major champion has never won Wimbledon, but she has reached the semi-finals in her last three appearances.
The world No 5 Mirra Andreeva reached the quarter-finals last year in her third Wimbledon main-draw appearance, but is tempering expectations after a whirlwind few weeks since winning her maiden slam in Paris.
“The feelings I experienced after winning for the first day and the next few days were incredible. I really want to try and experience them again,” the Russian said. “So that’s kind of a little addiction. I’m not going to set any expectations on myself because when I do that, sometimes it can go downhill. I’ll just focus on how I play every match here.“
No woman has completed the French Open-Wimbledon double since Serena Williams in 2015, with Andreeva opening her today campaign against Poland’s Magda Linette.
Men’s singles: Jannik Sinner starts his bid for a second successive Wimbledon title today, while Novak Djokovic also takes centre stage on day one.
Twelve months after Sinner Wimbledon with his triumph, the All England Club storylines are richer and more varied than ever. From Serena Williams’ astonishing return after four years in retirement to Djokovic’s relentless pursuit of grand slam history, not forgetting Sabalenka’s challenge for her first Wimbledon crown, the stars will be firmly in the spotlight over the next fortnight.
Sinner ended Carlos Alcaraz’s two-year reign as champion with a dynamic display of power hitting in the 2025 final. That dramatic showdown, coming so soon after their epic French Open final, was expected to set the stage for a sustained period of dominance by the pair at Wimbledon.
But with Alcaraz still sidelined by a wrist injury sustained in Barcelona in April, Sinner is the clear favourite to become the 10th man in the Open era to retain the Wimbledon trophy.
The world No 1 is bidding for his fifth grand slam title and his first since his maiden victory at the All England Club last year. But the 24-year-old Italian arrives in south-west London with a few concerns to banish. He has not reached a grand slam final this year and crashed out of the French Open in the second round, blowing a two-set lead against Juan Manuel Cerundolo as he wilted in the stifling Paris heat.
Meanwhile the seventh seed Novak Djokovic has spent the past 18 months trying to capture a 25th major crown that would see him overtake Margaret Court. Wimbledon could be his best bet for achieving that. The 39-year-old reached the semi-finals of all four grand slams in 2025 and started this year with a remarkable run to the Australian Open final, defeating Sinner en route. Such is his luck, the one time a draw fell apart at the French Open, his injury-ravaged preparation meant he was in no shape to take advantage.
As ever, the seven-time Wimbledon champion is most confident on grass, a far less physical challenge. “Playing on grass, compared with clay, you don’t need to exert as much physical effort. So that’s better for me. I always loved playing on grass. I have a very good score here, history, in Wimbledon. That gives me a higher dose of confidence coming into the tournament.”
Wimbledon’s chief executive Sally Bolton says that the queue is even busier than usual this year, with 10,000 people waiting in line by 8.30am. The reason? Well, partly Bolton says it is down to Lime Bikes.
“The queue is really busy this morning,” said Bolton. “We were at 10,000 by about 8.30am so we are advising people, if they haven’t already set off, not to travel, because the queue is effectively full.
“I think back to that period post Covid, where we were somewhat nervous that the queue might die, and, ironically, the queue has become increasingly popular over that period of time,” she said.“But the way people travel and engage with things has also changed. It used to be arriving on the first tube into Southfields, but now with the availability of Lime and other available branded bikes, people can get to the queue much more easily from slightly further away rather than waiting for the first tube.”
Players reach truce in prize money dispute after talks with Wimbledon
Leading players at Wimbledon have called off their media protest after talks with the All England Club (AELTC).
The group of players, which includes world No 1s Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka, had said they would limit their media activity to 15 minutes pre-tournament and after their matches in the first week.
The world’s leading players have been in dispute with the four grand slams since March 2025, when they first issued demands for more prize money linked to tournament revenues, contributions to player welfare funds and the formation of a grand slam player committee.
Read more from Matt Hughes below.
Order of play
Centre Court – 1.30pm start (all times BST)
-
Jannik Sinner (ITA) [1] v Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB)
-
Aryna Sabalenka [1] v Teodora Kostovic (SRB)
-
Yibing Wu (CHN) v Novak Djokovic (SRB) [7]
No 1 Court – 1pm start
-
Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) v Harriet Dart (GBR)
-
Marin Cilic (CRO) v Daniil Medvedev [8]
-
Magda Linette (POL) v Mirra Andreeva [5]
No 2 Court – 11am start
-
Jessica Pegula (USA) [4] v Darja Vidmanova (CZE)
-
Michael Zheng (USA) v Cameron Norrie (GBR) [26]
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Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) [3] v Aleksandr Shevchenko (KAZ)
-
Tamara Korpatsch (GER) v Coco Gauff (USA) [7]
No 3 Court – 11am start
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Rafael Jodar (ESP) [23] v Felix Gill (GBR)
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Casper Ruud (NOR) [11] v Hubert Hurkacz (POL)
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Elsa Jacquemot (FRA) v Naomi Osaka (JPN) [14]
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Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) v Hannah Klugman (GBR)
Court 12 – 11am start
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Mananchaya Sawangkaew (THA) v Maja Chwalinska (POL) [20]
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Arthur Rinderknech (FRA) [25] v Oliver Tarvet (GBR)
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Karolina Muchova (CZE) [10] v Anastasia Zakharova
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Brandon Nakashima (USA) [28] v Jack Pinnington Jones (GBR)
Court 18 – 11am start
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Belinda Bencic (SUI) [11] v Mika Stojsavljevic (GBR)
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Alexandre Muller (FRA) v Tommy Paul (USA) [21]
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Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) v Joao Fonseca (BRA) [24]
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Leylah Fernandez (CAN) [22] v Janice Tjen (INA)
Court 4 – 11am start
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Emilio Nava (USA) v Ignacio Buse (PER) [31]
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Alycia Parks (USA) v Alicia Dudeney (GBR)
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Thiago Agustin Tirante (ARG) v Fabian Marozsan (HUN)
-
Solana Sierra (ARG) v Anna Bondar (HUN)
Court 5 – 11am start
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Marco Trungelliti (ARG) v Martin Damm (USA)
-
Soonwoo Kwon (KOR) v Martin Landaluce (ESP)
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Oleksandra Oliynykova (UKR) v McCartney Kessler (USA)
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Dayana Yastremska (UKR) v Aoi Ito (JPN)
Court 6 – 11am start
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Denis Shapovalov (CAN) v Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP)
-
Bianca Andreescu (CAN) v Shuai Zhang (CHN)
-
Adolfo Daniel Vallejo (PAR) v Nicolas Mejia (COL)
-
Anastasia Gasanova v Emiliana Arango (COL)
Court 7 – 11am start
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Aleksandar Kovacevic (USA) v Botic van de Zandschulp (NED)
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Nuno Borges (POR) v Tristan Boyer (USA)
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Peyton Stearns (USA) v Nikola Bartunkova (CZE)
Court 8 – 11am start
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Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) v Jenson Brooksby (USA)
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Hamad Medjedovic (SRB) v Sebastian Ofner (AUT)
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Lanlana Tararudee (THA) v Lilli Tagger (AUT)
-
Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (ESP) v Anastasia Potapova (AUT) [27]
Court 9 – 11am start
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Luca Van Assche (FRA) v Marton Fucsovics (HUN)
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Camilo Ugo Carabelli (ARG) v Daniel Merida (ESP)
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Claire Liu (USA) v Hanne Vandewinkel (BEL)
Court 10 – 11am start
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Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP) v Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva (AND)
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Xinyu Wang (CHN) v Elisabetta Cocciaretto (ITA)
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Adam Walton (AUS) v Dino Prizmic (CRO)
-
Jesper de Jong (NED) v Rinky Hijikata (AUS)
Court 14 – 11am start
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Shintaro Mochizuki (JPN) v Max Basing (GBR)
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Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) v Tatjana Maria (GER)
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Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) v Sebastian Baez (ARG)
-
Katerina Siniakova (CZE) [32] v Qinwen Zheng (CHN)
Court 15 – 11am start
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Jaqueline Cristian (ROU) v Iva Jovic (USA) [16]
-
Ann Li (USA) [28] v Zeynep Sonmez (TUR)
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Ethan Quinn (USA) v Luciano Darderi (ITA) [14]
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Magdalena Frech (POL) v Anna Kalinskaya [19]
Court 16 – 11am start
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Andrey Rublev [12] v Roman Safiullin
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Hugo Gaston (FRA) v Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE)
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Mimi Xu (GBR) v Daria Kasatkina (AUS)
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Ekaterina Alexandrova [18] v Panna Udvardy (HUN)
Court 17 – 11am start
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Dalibor Svrcina (CZE) v Learner Tien (USA) [16]
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Antonia Ruzic (CRO) v TBC (Emma Raducanu [30] of GBR withdrew)
-
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP) [22] v Juan Manuel Cerundolo (ARG)
-
Francesca Jones (GBR) v Diane Parry (FRA)
Preamble
England may be playing in the last 32 of the men’s football World Cup this week, but a very different cornerstone of British sport begins today – the first day of Wimbledon is here. Here we go!
The sun is out in SW19 (and thankfully not as strong as it was last week), the grass is bright green (how long will that last?), the players’ white uniforms have been steamed and the live action starts at 11am BST.
So much to look forward to, so much to discuss. If you have any thoughts, predictions or questions then get in touch via the email at the top of the page. Order of play to be posted next!
