Swan glides through with display of power and poise
It was only at the end, after the match had been won, that Katie Swan began to look her age. Having played for 56 minutes with a power and poise that belied her tender
years and slender frame, the 19-year-old finally allowed a sunset smile to replace the steely stare.
And why not? This was the Briton’s first victory at a grand slam, against an opponent who was 168 places higher in the world rankings, and she made it look as easy as the breeze that lolloped across SW19 on Wimbledon’s opening day.
Such was the enthusiasm for this, the first British triumph of the day, that a cry of “Wimbledon champion!” went up from one particularly excited spectator. A little excessive, perhaps, but there seems no harm in getting carried away this year, when the absence of Andy Murray has so curtailed the home crowd’s expectations.
Swan, ranked a lowly 204 in the world, was at her destructive best in this 6-2, 6-2 dismissal of Irinacamelia Begu, the world No36. She hit eight winners to Begu’s two, and did not make a single unforced error with her backhand. It was as commanding a victory as she could have hoped for, even if she later admitted she was nowhere near as nerveless as she looked.
“I was shaking,” she said. “I knew that I was close to winning. I just wanted it so much. The good thing was that I kept playing my game throughout, even when I felt those nerves.”
Earlier in the afternoon, fellow Briton Harriet Dart had come close to producing an even bigger opening-day surprise. Dart, the world No171, worried seventh seed Karolina Pliskova with a performance full of brio and daring, but was not helped by a nasty fall which forced her to leave court for treatment before she eventually fell to a 7-6, 2-6, 6-1 defeat.
“I think I played pretty well,” said Dart, 21. “It was my first time playing here in the main draw singles. I am obviously disappointed to lose, but there are many positives to take forward.”
There was also disappointment for Liam Broady, the 24-year-old from Stockport, who was comprehensively beaten by the big-serving Milos Raonic. Broady competed well in the first set, which he lost 7-5, but claimed only one more game against the powerful Raonic, who reached the final here in 2016, when he lost to Andy Murray.
Cameron Norrie, Britain’s No 2, was also unable to reach the second round as he was defeated 4-6, 7-6, 7-6, 6-4 by Aljaz Bedene, who used to represent Britain but last year switched his allegiance back to Slovenia despite becoming a British citizen in 2015.