World primary Iga Swiatek cruised into the Wimbledon second spherical with a 6-1 6-3 mauling of China’s Zhu Lin on Monday in a superb begin to her quest for a primary Grand Slam title on grass.
It is the yr’s third main match — and Djokovic received the primary two: the Australian Open in January and the French Open in June. That places him midway to the primary calendar-year Grand Slam in males’s tennis since 1969. He got here near the feat in 2021, falling only one victory brief when he misplaced within the remaining of the U.S. Open.
He seeks a fifth consecutive title on the All England Club and eighth total, which each would tie data for males.
Djokovic’s title at Roland Garros was his twenty third at a Slam occasion, breaking a tie with Rafael Nadal for the boys’s mark in that class.
Swiatek, who owns 4 main titles however hasn’t been previous the fourth spherical on the All England Club, beat Zhu Lin of China 6-1, 6-3 at No. 1 Court, profitable the ultimate two video games after the roof was closed following a rain delay.
Swiatek mentioned she feels higher ready for the grass-court main this yr following her title on the French Open.
“After Roland Garros,” she mentioned on courtroom, “I really took some time to just appreciate what happened.
“Last yr, after I received Roland Garros, it was my second Grand Slam so it nonetheless felt, like, overwhelming, however this time I actually may simply give attention to celebrating and truly getting again to work with extra peace in my head and I attempt to be open minded for the grass season and I believe it is working.
“Hopefully I’m going to be able keep that mindset.”
Barbora Strycova, a semifinalist in 2019, grew to become the primary winner of this yr’s match by beating Maryna Zanevska 6-1, 7-5. On the boys’s aspect, seventh-seeded Andrey Rublev beat Max Purcell 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 on No. 3 Court.
As the reigning males’s champion at Wimbledon, Djokovic is scheduled to play the opening match at Centre Court on Day 1, dealing with Pedro Cachin of Argentina.
They’ll be adopted in the principle stadium by Williams, a 43-year-old taking part within the sport’s oldest main match for the twenty fourth time and taking over Elina Svitolina of Ukraine. Williams — whose youthful sister, Serena, retired after final season — received 5 of her seven Grand Slam singles trophies at Wimbledon.
After Swiatek at No. 1 Court, three-time Grand Slam runner-up Casper Ruud was enjoying Laurent Lokoli. And then Gauff — a 19-year-old American who was a French Open finalist final yr — will face 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin.
Djokovic dries Wimbledon courtroom earlier than wiping ground with opponent
Novak Djokovic helped dry the grass on Wimbledon’s Centre Court together with his towel earlier than choosing up the place he had left off to beat Argentina’s Pedro Cachin 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) in his opening match on Monday.
The Serbian second seed was damaged within the third sport when he double-faulted however hit again instantly to degree at 2-2.
Djokovic, chasing a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon males’s singles title, broke once more within the eighth sport earlier than serving out for the set.
The covers had been rushed on as quickly because the defending champion had wrapped up the set, with rain falling in southwest London.
The roof was closed however there was a prolonged delay that includes a number of inspections by officers and the gamers.
Djokovic, who was clearly sad with the slipperiness of the floor, at one stage emerged with a towel, which he used to rub the floor of the courtroom to laughter from the group.
Members of the bottom workers then used hand-held machines to attempt to dry the floor in farcical scenes on the world-famous courtroom.
The match ultimately resumed after a delay of just about 90 minutes, with the Centre Court roof reopened.
Djokovic, in search of to match Margaret Court’s all-time document of 24 Grand Slam singles titles, was unfazed by the delay, breaking within the first sport of the second set to ascertain an iron grip on the match, repeating the feat to seal the set.
Cachin, ranked 68th, dug deep within the third set, with neither participant capable of power a break within the early night sunshine.
Djokovic was instantly on high within the tie-break, surging right into a 6-2 lead and he wrapped up the match when Cachin netted.
The 36-year-old Serbian is chasing the primary calendar Grand Slam in males’s tennis since 1969 after profitable the Australian Open and French Open this yr.
(With enter from Reuters)