Men’s first round
Defending champion Novak Djokovic and five-time women’s winner Serena Williams reached the Wimbledon second round yesterday as organisers boosted security and weathermen ramped up warnings of a crushing heatwave.
Top seed Djokovic enjoyed a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win over Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber with crucial breaks in the ninth game of each set and goes on to face either 2004 champion Lleyton Hewitt or Jarkko Nieminen for a place in the last 32.
Fourth seed Maria Sharapova also reached second round with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Britain’s Johanna Konta. Sharapova, the 2004 champion, will face either Richel Hogenkamp of the Netherlands or China’s Wang Qiang for a place in the last 32.
“This is the cradle
of
our sport,” said Djokovic, playing his first match since his defeat to Stan Wawrinka at the final of the French Open three weeks ago ended his hopes of completing a career Grand Slam.
“There is no bigger tournament in our sport than Wimbledon. It’s always a special feeling to come out here as defending champion. There’s always a few butterflies.”
Djokovic, also the 2011 champion, hit 12 aces and 36 winners past world number 33 Kohlschreiber.
In the men’s first round, Australia’s 26th seed Nick Kyrgios, who knocked out Rafael Nadal last year, eased past Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman 6-0, 6-2, 7-6 (8/6).
US Open champion Marin Cilic, the ninth seeded Croatian and a quarter-finalist at Wimbledon last year, got past Japanese qualifier Hiroki Moriya 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (7/4).
Kyrgios
insisted
he
won’t drop his brash attitude after the volatile Australian’s latest outburst during his Wimbledon first round win. Kyrgios was back at Wimbledon 12 months after he stunned Rafael Nadal in a memorable fourth round upset on Centre Court that made him the lowest ranked player to beat a world number one at a Grand Slam for 22 years.
Heated exchange
Kyrgios’s victory was marred by a heated discussion with the umpire over a line call that included the Australian shouting out ‘dirty scum’.
Kyrgios was adamant he was directing the abuse at himself, but the unsavoury incident only added to the perception that the world number 29, already renowned for his flamboyant style on and off court, is developing into the sport’s bad boy. And Canberra-born Kyrgios, who split with long-time coach Todd Larkham just before Wimbledon, was hardly repentant when quizzed about his outburst at his post-match press conference.
“I wasn’t referring to the ref at all there. Yeah, it was towards myself. Obviously I knew you guys were going to ask me about that,” he said.
“I’m not too fussed about the call to be honest, but if it was a more crucial time in the match, or deeper in the tournament, that could swing things.
“It shouldn’t be something that can be taken lightly. You’ve got to make the right call there.
“It wouldn’t bother me one bit if they fine me.”
Pressed by reporters on why he would describe himself in such negative fashion, Kyrgios grew agitated, saying: “Because I can. Why are you so caught up about the question?”
On the first day of the 2015 championships, security was stepped up in the aftermath of the weekend jihadist killings of 38 tourists in Tunisia, most of 1-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) beat Philipp Kohlschreiber (Germany) 6-4 6-4 6-4 Liam Broady (Britain) beat Marinko Matosevic (Australia) 5-7 4-6 6-3 6-2 6-3 17-John Isner (U.S.) beat Go Soeda (Japan) 7-6(5) 6-4 6-4 24-Leonardo Mayer (Argentina) beat Thanasi Kokkinakis (Australia) 7-6(7) 7-6(3) 6-4 Marcel Granollers (Spain) beat Janko Tipsarevic
whom were British.
Spectators were subjected to the usual bag checks at the entrances to the All England Club in southwest London, where police officers were visible around the perimeter and inside the grounds.
Britain’s national terror threat level is currently at “severe”, meaning an attack is considered highly likely.
Police said that extra officers
would be on duty patrolling the area, while road closures and a “highly mobile reserve that can respond to emerging incidents” were also in place.
As well as security, fans and players were also bracing themselves for a rare British heatwave.
Tomorrow and Wednesday, temperature are expected to be in the low to mid-30s.