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Wimbledon Women’s Day 1
Top seed Iga Swiatek did not let a brief rain interruption dull her confidence as the four-time Grand Slam winner began her title quest 6-1, 6-3 over China’s Zhu Liu.
Play was halted briefly after only 50 minutes on court late in the second set before the roof over Court No. 1 was closed to allow the contest to finish.
“It was a really solid performance from me. I’m happy that I could just play my game and be in the rhythm, even though it was the first round,” Swiatek said.
“I actually haven’t got the experience of a match suspended, then coming back after just 15 minutes.
“I wanted to see how it’s going to go. I’m happy it went well and I could close it.”
She added: “After winning Roland Garros (for a third time a month ago) I took time to appreciate what had happened.
“I was then able to get back to work with more peace in my head.
“I’m open-minded for the grass season.”
Fourth seed Jessica Pegula wasted three match points in the second set but managed to claw back victory in the third, defeating American compatriot Lauren Davis 6-2, 6-7 (8), 6-3.
The winner is playing her tenth consecutive Grand Slam as a seed but has never escaped the third round here in three previous appearances.
“I felt good going into the third [set], even though I had match points in the second,” Pegula said.
“She’s a really tough player, she played some incredible points. She’s a really good grass-court player as well.
“When she gets hot, it’s really tough. Her ball skids really low through the court.”
She added: “I kept my focus, didn’t get too frustrated, and was able to just pull it out,”
French fifth seed Caroline Garcia started off her 10th Wimbledon appearance 6-4, 6-3 over American Katie Volynels, her 58th match win at a major.
Elina Svitolina, a 2019 semi-finalist who reached third in the world, brought an end to the wild card appearance of five-time winner Venus Williams 6-4, 6-3.
The Ukrainian who had a child last October with husband Gael Monfils held her nerve against the legend.
Williams took a sliding fall in the third game of the match and was taped after losing the first set.
The 43-year-old who claimed her last title here 15 years ago, was playing Wimbledon for the 24th time after making her debut as a teenager more than a quarter of a century ago.
Williams broke Svitolina in the penultimate game but lost serve and the match moments later on a successful Svitolina challenge of a return on the Williams baseline.
Photo Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd
The veteran exited to a standing ovation from the Centre Court crowd.
“It’s always a pleasure to play Venus,” the winner said of their fifth meeting. :
“It was a special moment today, playing against a big legend.
Grass takes a lot out of the legs and Venus plays quickly. I had to work hard for today’s win.”
Host Britain suffered a first loss of the Championships as wild card Harriet Dart went down 6-7 (4), 6-0, 6-4 to France’s Diane Parry after two and a quarter hours.
Jody Burrage got a welcome home revenge 6-1, 6-3 over American Caty McNally.
2021 Roland Garros winner Barbora Stycova got back into the Grand Slam mix after pregnancy as she played her first major in three years, posting a 6-1, 7-5 defeat of Belgian Maryna Zanevska.
Double Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka still feels the nerves as she enters her 15th Wimbledon, but managed to keep them in check for a 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 win over Chinese qualifier Yuan Yue.
“In Grand Slams, no doubt, there is another level of expectation, motivation, and desire,” the 33-year-old said.
“I’ve struggled the last few months. To be able to step by step try to find my rhythm, that’s why I’m happy with the win today.
“It wasn’t pretty. It was tough. It was a battle out there… I’ve been missing that a little bit throughout the last couple months, so I’m glad that I went through that today.”
Main photo:- Wimbledon Championships 2023 Day 1 Iga Swiatek wins first round match by Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd
Aryna Sabalenka will work to break through on the Stuttgart indoor clay as the world No. 1 bids for the title in a rare Monday final against Jelena Ostapenko in a battle of Grand Slam winners.
Double Australian Open holder Sabalenka is desperate for a change of luck after losing finals here in 2021 (Ash Barty), 2022 and 2023 (the last two against Iga Swiatek).
The top seed booked her spot with Sunday’s 7-5, 6-4 defeat of Italian Jasmine Paolini, duplicating a defeat of the two-time finalist at the majors from last month in Miami.
Ostapenko, who won Roland Garros in 2017, defeated Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-4, 6-4.
With the event taking a day off for Good Friday, the final is delayed by 24 hours,
Sabalenka got a bye in the first round and a walkover in the second and only began her first actual match on Saturday.
She showed no rust in her semi-final, ending the first set against Paolini without an unforced error. She overcame a 3-0 lead from the Italian in the second set but got it back before an insurance break for 5-4 followed by victory in 89 minutes.
Ostapenko will be competing in her first clay final in nearly eight years – her first since Roland Garros back in the day.
Holger Rune battled past injured Carlos Alcaraz to spoil the Spanish Easter party at the Barcelona Open, with the Dane lifting the trophy 7-6 (6), 6-2.
The pair of 21-year-olds were familiar foes, having played 20 times in juniors before hitting the Tour; Rune won the first 500 series title of his career and his fifth overall.
Alcaraz was treated three times in the second set after an apparent injury to his upper right thigh/groin after duelling hard in the opening set at the Real Club.
The loss will send Alcaraz back to third in the rankings, with Alexander Zverev moving back to second behind Jannik Sinner as a result of winning the Munich title on Sunday.
Rune, a first-round victim last week in Monte Carlo, reversed his clay momentum in Spain, handing Alcaraz a first loss of a set for the week.
The Spanish top seed’s two final shots both clipped the top of the net and fell back as Rune raised his hands in celebration after 97 minutes on court in the Catalan capital.
“This means the world,” the winner said. “I started the match stressed, he was playing big-time tennis.
“I was able to find my rhythm after he broke me (3-2 in the opening set) and I got more into the match.
“The first set was a big battle with a lot of important points. It was super-important to win the set and gain momentum.
“I’m so proud of myself.”
Rune ended with 18 winners while the ailing Alcaraz produced 33 unforced errors. The Dane claimed his 50th match win on clay and levelled his Tour record in the series to 2-2.
Rune said he channeled Novak Djokovic’s Paris Olympic gold medal win from last summer over Alcaraz as he struggled to turn his game around in Barcelona.
“I asked myself what Novak did to win that final. I (realised) that I didn’t need to hit every ball on the line. I need to make him play and hit a lot of balls.”
Rune, who won the elite Paris Bercy Masters 1000 title in 2022, finally began reversing a 13-match loss streak against top five opponents.with his title victory.
Alcaraz may be racing for fitness with the Madrid Masters starting on Wednesday as the ATP ploughs ahead with an unpopular two-week format for Masters tournaments despite growing protest from exhausted players.
Main photo:- Holger Rune celebrates Barcelona win – by ATPTour.com
Alexander Zverev turned 28 on Sunday and awarded himself a third title on his home Munich clay as he beat Ben Shelton 6-2,6-4 to win the ATP event.
The 2017 and 2018 champion here is now threatening Carlos Alcaraz as the pair duel for the world No. 2 position which the Spaniard took over last week after winning Monte Carlo.
Zverev schooled lefthander Shelton in 70 minutes for a second win in their series. The winner becomes the second to hold three Munich titles after countryman Philipp Kohlschreiber (2007, 2012, 2016).
“I’m enjoying my birthday so far,” Zverev said. “It’s extremely special to win in Germany, the most special thing I can do.
January’s Australian Open finalist added: “It’s definitely a great birthday present, I knew I had to play my best today, conditions were very hot and very fast.They were perfect for me.”
The winner broke three times while never facing a challenge to his serve from Shelton as he claimed a sixth career title at the 500-Tour level.
Main photo:- Alexander Zverev with his “birthday” trophy – by BMW Open/Bitpanda
Sabalenka hoping to turn her luck in Stuttgart
Rune rises to the occasion with defeat of Alcaraz
Zverev grabs a birthday gift with third Munich title
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