Emma Raducanu endured an unpredictable start en route to a 7-6, 6-3 win over Mexican lucky loser Renata Zarazúa, as the 2021 US Open champion made a successful Centre Court return on a busy opening day packed with high-profile injury-enforced withdrawals – a trio of seeded women, including Australian Open titleholder Aryna Sabalenka. Plus, it’s likely there are more to come…
Alcaraz, Sinner pass opening round tests
- Defending men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz was pushed in the first two sets, but emerged a 7-6, 7-5, 6-2 winner over Estonian qualifer Mark Lajal to open Centre Court with Australia’s Aleksandar Vukic next. He recovered from a set down twice during a five-set battle with Sebastian Ofner
- Complete: Top seed Jannik Sinner dropped a set but recomposed himself to emerge in four against Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann, while 2021 US Open titlist Daniil Medvedev, Casper Ruud and Grigor Dimitrov won clean
- Sabalenka: “I tried everything to get myself ready but unfortunately my shoulder is not co-operating. I pushed myself to the limit in practice today, but my team explained that playing would only make things much worse,” as the world no. 3 withdrew – hours before compatriot Victoria Azarenka did the same with her own shoulder issue before Sloane Stephens match
- US Open champion Coco Gauff dropped just three games vs. compatriot Caroline Dolehide, while fellow Major winners Naomi Osaka, Sloane Stephens and Bianca Andreescu progressed in contrasting circumstances
- Thrill and the agony: French Open runner-up Jasmine Paolini [7] recorded her first Wimbledon main draw win at the fourth time of asking, while Russian teenage talent Mirra Andreeva [24] – who she beat in the Roland Garros semis last month – was among seven seeds to crash out on Day 1
Major champions Aryna Sabalenka, Victoria Azarenka and Emma Raducanu’s original first-round opponent Ekaterina Alexandrova all withdrew from play citing injury or illness as the Wimbledon singles main draw got underway with some unwanted news and underwhelming updates throughout the course of play today.
Sabalenka’s slot was filled by Russian lucky loser Erika Andreeva, who progressed after a three-set duel against America’s Emina Bektas while 2013 quarterfinalist Sloane Stephens hit 24 winners alongside an excellent 84% first serve percentage against an erratic Elsa Jacquemot display as the Frenchwoman lost 6-3, 6-3.
Raducanu’s rally groundstrokes were iffy at times and her decision-making a bit rushed elsewhere against a motivated opponent in Renata Zarazua, whose court coverage and hand skills kept the Brit honest during a competitive battle – which former British no. 1 Johanna Konta on commentary was surprised to see unfold.
Ultimately, Raducanu’s quality shone through in a first set tiebreak and after finding the breakthrough, was more comfortable – despite saving two break points at 1-1 in set two. She’ll play Elise Mertens in a section of the draw fast opening up as #8 seed Qinwen Zheng was beaten, after the Belgian recovered to pip Japan’s Nao Hibino.
Frances Tiafoe [29] recovered from two sets down to smartly topple Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi 6-7, 2-6, 6-1, 6-3, 6-3, Queen’s champion Tommy Paul won in four sets while Brandon Nakashima – also in Tiafoe’s section – upset #18 seed Sebastian Baez in straight-sets on a good day for American men not named Aleksandar Kovacevic.
Tiafoe’s next test comes against the dangerously unseeded Borna Coric, knowing a Carlos Alcaraz third-round showdown is likely next for the victor after the tournament’s defending champion got off and running against an inspired qualifier in Estonia’s 21-year-old Mark Lajal, who acquitted himself well on Centre Court.
British wildcard Liam Broady tried but couldn’t overcome Botic van de Zandschulp in a four-set loss, Stan Wawrinka bested Charles Broom while Arthur Fery ran out of steam over the five-set distance against Germany’s Daniel Altmaier – who plays Denis Shapovalov [PR] midweek after his straightforward scalp of #19 seed Nicolas Jarry.
Elsewhere in that section, an all-Italian affair between new world no. 1 Jannik Sinner and 2021 runner-up Matteo Berrettini beckons in second-round play after their four-set victories over Yannick Hanfmann and Marton Fucsovics respectively.
Wawrinka vs. Gael Monfils promises to be an interesting second-round showdown between veterans in a clash of styles, while prodigious Chinese teenager Juncheng Shang will look to stun #10 seed Grigor Dimitrov quietly knowing the section headlined by Daniil Medvedev is potentially there for the taking.
Arthur Cazaux, who burst onto the wider scene with exciting play in Melbourne, held his nerve after losing consecutive tiebreaks against Belgian qualifier Zizou Bergs to emerge in a deciding set breaker.
An unpredictable proposition in the big-serving Alexander Bublik [22] stands between him and round three on Wednesday, so who knows what’s next?
After edging a tight first set, three-time Major finalist Casper Ruud had little issues against Australian qualifier Alex Bolt while Tommy Paul hit ten aces and benefited from nine free points on double-faults to escape Pedro Martinez in four sets.
What to watch on Day 2
ATP
Arthur Fils vs. Dominic Stricker
Felix Auger-Aliassime [17] vs. Thanasi Kokkinakis
Taro Daniel vs. Stefanos Tsitsipas [11]
Vit Kopriva [Q] vs. Novak Djokovic [2]
Jack Draper [28] vs. Elias Ymer [Q]
WTA
Katie Boulter [32] vs. Tatjana Maria
Ajla Tomljanovic [WC] vs. Jelena Ostapenko [13]
Caroline Wozniacki vs. Alycia Parks [Q]
Iga Swiatek [1] vs. Sofia Kenin
Magda Linette vs. Elina Svitolina [21]
Picture source: Getty Images
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