World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and defending women’s champion Elena Rybakina got their Wimbledon bids off to winning starts on Tuesday as torrential rain brought havoc to the All England Club schedule.
Only an hour’s play was possible on the outside courts, which meant 69 of the planned 77 matches were unable to be completed.
Just eight matches took place on the covered Court One and Centre Court.
Photo: AFP
Alcaraz raced through the first set against French veteran Jeremy Chardy in just 22 minutes, before breaking twice in the second set.
Chardy, who had previously announced that Wimbledon would be the final tournament of his career, drew first blood in the third set to lead 4-2, but Alcaraz hit back well, sealing a 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 win with an ace.
“I like to play battles, and I am really happy to have played a great level, both of us, in the third set,” the Spaniard said. “I am really happy to get through this first round.”
Photo: AFP
The US Open champion is seen as one of the few credible threats to Novak Djokovic, who is targeting an eighth Wimbledon crown to equal Roger Federer’s men’s record.
Wimbledon’s Centre Court paid tribute to Swiss great Federer before the start of play as he returned to the scene of some of his greatest triumphs.
The crowd gave Federer, who retired in September last year, a prolonged standing ovation interspersed with cheers as he entered the royal box, which threatened to upstage the first match of the championship for Rybakina.
The Kazakh third seed was caught cold in the opening set, double-faulting on her first point on the way to losing her first service game to unseeded Shelby Rogers of the US, but she rallied to win 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.
“It was really tough for me today,” Rybakina said. “I was pretty nervous and I can’t even hide it. The double fault said it all at the beginning of the match. I’m really pleased to get to another round.”
Two-time champion Andy Murray of Scotland eased past the UK’s Ryan Peniston in straight sets.
Former world No. 1 Murray, who won his first Wimbledon title in 2013 before adding a second three years later, came through 6-3, 6-0, 6-1.
Now ranked No. 40, and playing with a metal hip, the 36-year-old had too much power and finesse for world No. 268 Peniston.
“It’s amazing to be back on Centre Court again,” Murray said. “I started off quite nervously, I was a little bit tentative, but once I got a break I played some good stuff. There were good signs.”
World No. 2 and Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka powered into the second round with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Panna Udvardy of Hungary, taking full advantage of playing under the Centre Court roof.
Sabalenka reached the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2021, but was banned last year along with all Belarusian and Russian players due to the invasion of Ukraine.
Ons Jabeur, last year’s runner-up, cruised to a 6-3, 6-3 win against Poland’s Magdalena Frech.
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