
(June 27, 2022)
Number one seed Novack Djokovic opened his bid for a fourth straight Wimbledon title with a win over Kwon Soon-woo of South Korea 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. He admitted that it was not his best tennis but he did what he had to do to win.
The Serbian, holder of 20 major titles says that he’s not looking ahead to the US Open because at this point intime, foreigners visiting the United States must be vaccinated to enter the country and Djokovic is not vaccinated.
“I’m hoping some things can change and that I’ll be able to go and compete,” Djokovic said during his media conference. “I would want to.”
No. 6 seed Carlos Alcaraz needed five sets to rally past Jan Lennard Struff of Germany on Monday to advance to the second round.
The biggest upset on the men’s side of the draw was No. 7 seed Hubert Hurkacz of Poland who lost to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in a match that featured Wimbledon’s new final set format -a 10-point tiebreak at 6-6.
Davidovich Fokina won 7-6 (4), 6-4, 5-7, 2-6, 7-6 (10-8).
Former champion Andy Murray is into the second round besting James Duckworth in four sets.
Murray will face off against John Isner in the second round. The American hit 54 aces in his 6-7 (6), 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 win over Enzo Couacaud on Court 18. This was the same court where he won the longest match ever played in the history of tennis, where he beat Nicholas Mahut 70-68 in the fifth set.
Reigning US Open champ Emma Raducanu made her Centre Court debut a winning one. The British teen defeated Alison Van Uytvanck 6-4, 6-4.
“From the moment I walked out through those gates, I could really just feel the energy and the support and everyone was behind me from the word ‘go,’” Raducanu said after the victory.
More to follow….