Australian despondency over the withdrawal of Nick Kyrgios has been swept away by a brilliant first-day comeback triumph for his mate Jordan Thompson and a stirring late-evening victory for Aleksandar Vukic.
After Kyrgios had pulled out on the eve of the tournament with a wrist injury, Thompson, who’d been trying to help his compatriot get fit for the tournament in practice at the All England Club, produced one of the best wins of his career on Monday against Brandon Nakashima.
Then, in the gathering gloom after a rain-hit opening day, on the same Court 9 where Australian fans had been encamped to watch three of their players in action, another Sydneysider pulled off a fine victory as Vukic beat Germany’s Daniel Altmaier 6-3 7-6 (7-1) 3-6 7-5.
Coming from two sets down to win a grand-slam match for the third time in his career, never-say-die Thompson rallied in his rain-interrupted marathon to a 2-6 2-6 6-4 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 win after it had looked as if he would get swept away by the American who gave Kyrgios a scare at Wimbledon last year.
It was a perfect tonic for the nine-strong Australian challenge after an early but predictable setback when Max Purcell, battling with a fractured foot, lost 6-3 7-5 6-4 in little more than 90 minutes to Russia’s No.7 seed Andrey Rublev.
Queensland qualifier Storm Hunter also suffered a heavy defeat while not playing at all badly, losing 6-3 6-1 to an inspired Wang Xinyu in a repeat of their Australian Open first-round clash, which had also been won by the Chinese world No.73.
Pride of place went to Thompson, who set up a dream meeting with defending seven-time champion Novak Djokovic in the second round, after the Serbian maestro opened the defence of his crown with a 6-3 6-3 7-6 (7-4) win over Argentina’s Pedro Cachin.
Thompson hoped his win would go some way to making up for the blow of Kyrgios’ withdrawal.
“I went to bed early and when I got to the courts this morning, someone told me he’d pulled out – and it’s incredibly disappointing,” Thompson said.
“I know he was having issues when we’re practising. But he made the final last year and he’s our best chance of winning this, having come so close last year.
“It’s not good news. Hopefully I’ve salvaged a little bit (from the disappointment) but I don’t think anything will match the disappointment of him pulling out.”
It may have been a new-look, clean-cut Thompson, the famously hirsute Aussie having got rid of his trademark moustache and beard over the weekend after he decided to finish a bad job made by a barber.
But it was the same old ‘Tommo’ spirit as he earned victory from two sets down just as he had against Italian Lorenzo Sonego at the US Open last year.
Jordan Thompson. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
After Hunter’s loss – which leaves just Daria Saville representing Australia in the women’s draw – the fans who had spent much of a soggy, windy day camped around the cramped Court 9 cheered world No.87 Vukic to victory over Altmaier, ranked 21 places higher.
“There were definitely beers around – but those beers helped for sure,” said Vukic, convinced the boisterous crowd had helped drag him to what he felt was his best win after his 2022 Australian Open victory over Lloyd Harris.
“But it was very special because I had my family here – my parents (dad Rad and mum Ljiljana), my girlfriend, my coach.
“It’s great to share it with those ones who are there with you day to day.”
Four-times defending champion and hot favourite Novak Djokovic has begun his record quest with a straight-sets Wimbledon victory over a willing but eventually outgunned Pedro Cachin.
Djokovic, 36, is seeking a men’s record-extending 24th grand-slam title that would also draw him level with Australia’s Margaret Court as the most successful singles player of all time.
Another All England championship for the Serbian would also match Roger Federer’s eight Wimbledons and equal Federer and Bjorn Borg’s record of five successive men’s singles crowns.
He took a convincing first step with a 6-3 6-3 7-6 (7-4) victory where the only time he looked really inconvenienced was when complaining about the risk of slipping on a damp court after a shower caused a 70-minute delay during which the roof was closed and reopened. “I usually come out with racquets, not towels,” he said.
Last time Djokovic lost on Centre Court was in the 2013 final against Andy Murray. That was also his last defeat on grass by any of the 128 players in this year’s draw, though for several years he has avoided any of the grass-court warm-up events.
“For me, the opening match is a little bit tricky, I’ve not played any warm-up match and grass is a little different to clay,” Djokovic said.
“I’ve managed to adapt pretty well over the years and hopefully I manage to do it again.”
As a reminder of the small margins that separate the great from the merely very good, Wimbledon debutant Cachin for long spells went toe-to-toe with the most successful men’s player of all time and broke him for a 3-2 first-set lead on a rare Djokovic double fault.
The champion broke back immediately, found his range and battered his way through the Argentine’s defences to take the first set in 42 minutes.
Djokovic will face Jordan Thompson in the second round after the Australian produced a comeback for the ages to beat Brandon Nakashima 2-6 2-6 6-4 7-6 (7-4) 6-3.
Thompson’s fellow countryman Aleksandar Vukic also moved into the second round, beating Germany’s world No.66 Daniel Altmaier 6-3 7-6 (7-1) 3-6 7-5.
No.4 seed Caspar Ruud eased past France’s Laurent Lokoli, winning 6-1 5-7 6-4 6-3, while French veteran Richard Gasquet was eliminated in the first round by compatriot Corentin Moutet, losing 6-3 7-5 7-5.
Seventh seed Andrey Rublev was the first returning Russian through to the second round after beating another Australian, Max Purcell, 6-3 7-5 6-4. Russian and Belarusian are back at the All England after being banned last year in reaction to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
American Michael Mmoh upset 11th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada 7-6 (7-4) 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 in a four-hour clash to claim a surprise win and reach the second round.
With rain delays affecting play on the outside courts, Italy’s No.8 seed Jannik Sinner eased to a straightforward 6-2 6-2 6-2 win over Juan Manuel Cerundolo of Argentina.
Ninth seed Taylor Fritz will have to come back on Tuesday to finish his marathon match with Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann.
The American was leading 3-2 in the fifth set, on serve, when bad light stopped play.
World No.1 Iga Swiatek has cruised into the Wimbledon second round with a 6-1 6-3 mauling of China’s Zhu Lin in a fine start to her quest for a first grand-slam title on grass.
There was no such positive start for teenage starlet Coco Gauff, who slid out in the first round with an opening-day defeat to Sofia Kenin that was more missed opportunity than shock result.
The 22-year-old Swiatek, winner of the French Open for the third time last month, has yet to get past the fourth round at the All England.
Swiatek looked good in her movement on the surface and showed no sign of the illness that ruled her out of her Bad Homburg semi-final on Friday.
“I felt really confident. I felt like I did a very good job,” said Swiatek, a former junior champion at Wimbledon.
“I feel really good after Roland Garros … I took some time to appreciate what happened.
“Last year it was my second grand slam (at the French Open) and it felt overwhelming. This time I could focus on celebrating and at getting back to work with more peace in my head.”
Zhu, ranked 34th in the world, earned a break point in the first game but Swiatek won 11 points in a row to sprint into a 3-0 lead.
Another break put Swiatek firmly in the driving seat. Zhu saved two set points at 5-0 but Swiatek sealed the first set a game later with a powerful crosscourt forehand winner.
The pair traded breaks early in the second before Swiatek earned a second one and was 4-3 up when play was interrupted due to rain.
It resumed after the roof on Court One was shut, the Pole needing only seven minutes to win the two games she needed.
Gauff was drawn against resurgent fellow American Kenin, currently ranked world No.128 but a recent former grand slam champion, and the 6-4 4-6 6-2 loss – although hard to swallow for seventh-seed Gauff – was no shock upset.
Both players have been ranked as high as No.4 in the world, before injury and illness took its toll on Kenin, and there was little to choose between them on a chilly night.
“I am super-happy,” Kenin told the Court One crowd as dusk descended. “Coco played a tough match, and I knew I had to play my best match to win.”
Five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams suffered a first-round defeat by Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina.
The 43-year-old American, appearing at the championships for a record 24th time, retained the easy power that once made her the queen of Centre Court but went down 6-4 6-3.
Two-time major winner Victoria Azarenka held off China’s Yuan Yue in a tight match to secure a 6-4 5-7 6-4 win and advance to the second round.
American fourth seed Jessica Pegula overcame a second-set wobble to beat compatriot Lauren Davis 6-2 6-7 (6-8) 6-3.
Fifth seed Caroline Garcia overcame the elements and a lively opponent to reach the second round beating American Katie Volynets 6-4 6-3 in a match interrupted by drizzle.
Russian Liudmila Samsonova went out 7-6 (7-1) 7-6 (7-4) to Ana Bogdan, making the 15th seed the biggest casualty on day one.
© AAP
Whether it’s aces or races, try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp for great odds and a great punting experience. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
Alex de Minaur has missed out on the chance of a lifetime to beat Rafael Nadal on clay in successive tournaments, blown away by…
The Spaniard scores first Top 20 win since November 2022, and reversed the result of a few weeks ago where the Australian came out…
Former Wimbledon champion, double grand slam winner and Australian Open finalist Garbine Muguruza has announced her retirement from tennis at the age of 30.…
Rafael Nadal has hailed the brilliance of Alex de Minaur, calling him "a great player" after the Australian forced the Spanish legend to say…
The clay season promises to be one of high level and tight margins. With the Monte Carlo open just around the corner, it will…
In incredible scenes, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz's quarter-final clash with Alexander Zverev at Indian Wells was halted abruptly due to a "bee invasion." Less…
