Djokovic makes a 'sweeping' statement

LONDON, July 3

Four-time defending champion and hot favourite Novak Djokovic began his record quest with a straight-set Wimbledon victory over a willing but eventually outgunned Argentine Pedro Cachin on Centre Court today.

Serbian Djokovic, 36, is seeking a men’s record-extending 24th Grand Slam title that would also draw him level with Australia’s Margaret Court, to match Roger Federer’s eight Wimbledon titles and equal Federer and Bjorn Borg’s record of five successive men’s singles crowns.

Day 1: highlights

AZARENKA THROUGH

Twice 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.

RUSSIANS return

Andrey Rublev moved into the second round with a clinical 6-3 7-5 6-4 win over Australia’s Max Purcell. Rublev’s 12th seeded compatriot Veronika Kudermetova moved past Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi with a 7-6(4) 6-4 win.

RUUD RUMBLES

Norwegian fourth seed Casper Ruud eased past France’s Laurent Lokoli, winning 6-1 5-7 6-4 6-3.

He took a convincing first step with a 6-3 6-3 7-6(4) victory where the only time he looked really inconvenienced was when complaining about the risk of slipping on a mildly damp court after a shower caused a 70-minute delay during which the roof was closed and reopened.

Last time Djokovic lost on Centre Court was in the 2013 final against Andy Murray and remarkably 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 grasscourt 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.”

Swiatek opens with bang

World No. 1 Iga Swiatek cruised into the second round with a 6-1 6-3 mauling of China’s Zhu Lin today in a fine start to her quest for a first Grand Slam title on grass.

Swiatek looked good in her movement on the surface and showed no signs of any effects of the illness that had ruled her out of her Bad Homburg semifinal 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 (French Open). After Roland Garros I took some time to appreciate what happened.” Reuters