Venus Williams lost in Wimbledon mixed doubles on Friday and immediately went to ground, presumably ready to cop a fine of USD 50,000 for skipping a mandatory post-match media conference.

The 46-year-old elder sister’s disappearing act was a direct lift from her sibling Serena, 44, who failed to appear after losing in singles this week on a wild card entry.

Venus and German Kevin Kraweitz were eliminated 6-4, 6-4 by Briton Lloyd Glasspool and Slovak Tereza Mihalikova.

After her own singles transgression, Serena managed to escape the monetary sanction – mere pocket change to her – by claiming a medical loophole (knee injury) after she was beaten in three sets by Australian Maya Joint in the first round.

British tabloid media reported that Venus simply dismissed her doubles media duties and did not even provide a post-match statement as her younger sister had managed to do.

While the Williams siblings bend the rules to their needs, officials at the All England Club are apparently quite pleased to accommodate the fading players.

A women’s doubles opening match featuring the pair – which should have been completed by Friday – was held over to Saturday but without giving a starting time or court assignment.

The plan looks to be  to slot the Williams onto a showcourt if earlier matches finish quickly. Each of the over 40 siblings are playing at this edition on various wild card invitations. 

Main photo:- US Open 2023 Wildcard Venus Williams (USA) wearing shocking pink “night attire” embarrassingly loses first round match 6-1 6-1 in just one hour 13 minutes to qualifier and “wanders off into the sunset” Photo Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd

Iga Swiatek took two hours to complete a difficult start to her Wimbledon title defence, with the third seed outlasting Taylor Townsend 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 on Tuesday to squeeze into the Wimbledon second round.

The former world No. 1 seeded third here, put her head in a towel and shed tears in a rare show of emotion after defeating her American opponent in two hours.

The six-time Grand Slam winner without a title this season said that a 21-minute opening game of the third set featuring nine deuces was key for her victory.

After dropping a nervy second set, Swiatek admitted it turned into a dogfight start to the third.

“Even serving might be a tough ask. This game was about  believing that I can do it,” she said. “It was so long with many (four) break points.

“I’m happy I was able to keep my composure. I knew I needed to be solid and not look for winners.

“I’m happy that game went well – it was crucial. Now into the next one.”

Swiatek just managed to maintain her near-perfect run at Grand Slam first rounds: she has now won her last 29 openers at the majors, losing only at Wimbledon seven years ago.

While not going into detail, the Polish winner said she had been through “a tough couple of weeks.

“This is not a season where everything has gone as I wanted. I don’t want any three-set matches, I’m happy I won one here.”

2022 champion and second seed Elena Rybakina, who lost two of her three grass tune-up matches, came good in the first round with a 6-4, 1–6, 6-3 defeat of Lois Boisson, playing here for the first time.

“In the end, I’m happy that I managed to win it. Definitely will need to work more on these kind of things,” Rybakina said.

“The serve was working on and off; this is something for me also to improve
for the next matches.”

2025 finalist Amanda Anisimova began with a 6-3, 6-2 defeat of qualifier Lina Gjorcheska of North Macedonia which took one hour.

The 222-ranked qualifier overcame a pair of double faults and saved a first match point in the penultimate game.

But last season’s two-time Grand Slam,runner-up Anisimova prevailed a game later, serving out victory with a winner to the corner on her second chance.

The 31-year-old Gjorcheska came through qualifying rounds with the loss of just one set and was competing in the first Grand Slam main draw of her career.

She reached her main draw dream at the majors after 13 career qualifying attempts. The first player from her Balkan nation to play in a Slam main draw had to prepare without any grass courts at home.

“We don’t have anywhere to prepare, so I was preparing two days before the match,” she said.

“I learned to be patient and to go with my serve, to believe in myself.”

Anisimova was impressed with the effort: “It’s not easy playing a qualifier. She’s had three matches under her belt.

”We’ve never played before so it was a tricky first round. I’m excited to be back at Wimbledon, it feels great.

“The moment I got here I was flooded with memories. I hope to carry those vibes and keep them going here,” she said a year after losing the final to Swiatek.

Rome-born Italian-American Tyra Grant, who switched to representing Italy last year, left Katie Swan as the last British woman remaining after defeating Katie Boulter 6-4, 6-2.

Swan maintained a place for the host nation, defeating Romanian Irina Begu    6-4, 6-4 to reach the second round at the home event for the first time since 2018.

The Briton is a comeback story, after nearly quitting the sport due to injury but finding a way back. “Sometimes I find it hard to be proud of myself ,” she said.

“But when I look back on where I was a year ago, having decided to quit the sport for good, taking a coaching job and then by chance finding a doctor that would give me my last attempt at rehab to try and play again – it’s a lot easier to put things into perspective.” 

No. 172 Grant is playing in a main draw at a major for the first time.

She now has just nine career singles matches on grass – eight of them in either juniors or qualifying.

Madison Keys, who claimed a third Eastbourne title at the weekend, secured her sixth win in a row as she opened her Wimbledon account over Kayla Day 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3.

Italy’s double Grand Slam finalist Jasmine Paolini survived a love opening set to stage a fightback to defeat Robin Montgomery of the US 0-6, 6-4, 7-5, with the American saving a match point. .

But Montgomery, a grasscourt titleholder last this month in the Netherlands, double-faulted on match point down as Paolini powered back from 2-4 in the deciding set. 

Daria Snigur stunned fellow Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, the eighth seed, 7-5, 6-2, her second defeat of a top 10 opponent at a major after beating Simona Halep at the 2022 US Open.

Main photo:- Iga Swiatek slows things down – by Roger Parker ISF Ltd

Unheralded qualifier Maja Chwalinska continued her Roland Garros fairytale run on Thursday with a 7-6 (4), 6-4 defeat of Diana Shnaider which put her into a final against Mirra Andreeva.

The Polish outsider who had hoped to crack the ranking top 100 this season will find herself on the verge of the top 20 as a result of her giant-killing run in Paris which began almost three weeks ago.

The effort was helped as her opponent needed a medical timeout leading 4-3 in the second set after dropping the first.

With Shnaider stretched out on court for treatment on her left hip, Chwalinska was able to concentrate upon resumption, breaking for a 5-4 lead and securing her spot in the final a game later with a winning pass on match point.

The winner fell to her back on the clay, stunned by her accomplishment as the Chatrier court crowd chanted her one-syllable first name. She later buried her face in a towel and cried tears of joy.

“This is like a dream, I don’t know what is going on,” she said. “I don’t know what to say, I’m very happy.”

Chwalinska becomes he fist in the Open era to reach the Paris final as a qualifier, echoing the accomplishment of Emma Raducanu at the 2021 US Open.

“I don’t feel great , I won’t lie,” she said after finishing her ninth match at this Paris edition. “But this is a Grand Slam and the challenge is to face the best in the world, day by day.

“You’ve got to give your own and more, but I’m not complaining at all.”

The No. 114 showed remarkable calm throughout her matches and said its not what it seems.

“I can be crazy also, but I try to stay composed – that’s the best way for me. It helps me play my best tennis.

“But inside, there is a storm, believe me.”

Main photo:- Maya Chwalinska celebrates as she reaches Ladies Final – by Roger Parker ISF Ltd.