Returning runner-ups advance

LONDON Last year’s runners-up were up first on the main showcourts at Wimbledon on Tuesday, and both came through in straight sets.

Angelique Kerber, playing in the spot on Centre Court normally reserved for the defending women’s champion, beat Irina Falconi of the United States 6-4, 6-4. On No. 1 Court, Canada’s Milos Raonic defeated Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany 7-6 (5), 6-4, 7-6 (4).

“A lot of memories came back when I walk on the Centre Court,” Kerber said. “Playing there again, it’s one of the best courts to play. It’s traditional, so it was really great to being back.”

Novak Djokovic, a threetime champion at the All England Club, didn’t even need three sets to advance. He reached the second round when opponent Martin Klizan retired from the match in the second set.

Kerber stepped in to the opening spot on Centre Court on Day 2 in place of Serena Williams, the defending champion who is out for the rest of the season because she is pregnant.

Although Kerber became the first women seeded No. 1 in the professional era to lose in the first round of the French Open, she made it through to the second round on the grass.

Raonic, from Thornhill, Ont., came into Wimbledon after playing only one match on grass, a first-round loss at Queen’s. The last time he failed to win a match on grass prior to Wimbledon, in 2014, he reached the semifinals.

Last year he did even better than that, reaching the final at the All England Club and losing to Andy Murray in straight sets.

Later Tuesday, Vancouver’s Vasek Pospisil dropped a 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 decision to eighthranked Dominic Thiem of Austria.