Defending champion Marketa Vondrousova was knocked out in the first round of Wimbledon on Tuesday, the first female holder to fall at the opening hurdle since Steffi Graf 30 years ago.
Czech Vondrousova, who became the first unseeded woman to lift the title last year, earned a far less welcome accolade after a 6-4, 6-2 defeat by Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.
Ranked world No. 83, Bouzas Maneiro had won only one tour-level match all year heading into Wimbledon, but secured her first win across all grand slams when she slapped a backhand down the line.
“It is one of the most important moments of my life,” the Spaniard smiled as she soaked up the cheers. “I’m just... I’m surprised with myself to be honest.”
The 21-year-old from Galicia hit the ball cleanly throughout an unremarkable Centre Court clash, but only really needed to keep it in play as errors flew from champion Vondrousova’s racket with alarming regularity.
Top seed on course
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek safely negotiated past a potential first-round banana skin by beating fellow grand slam champion Sofia Kenin 6-3, 6-4 at Wimbledon on Tuesday.
The Polish top seed has yet to find her comfort zone on grass, having never reached a final on the sport’s slickest surface, but any hopes of slowly finding her feet were dashed after the draw pitted her against the player who toppled Coco Gauff in the 2023 opening round.
Both players struggled with their serves during the early exchanges, with the first four games featuring nine break points and with both dropping serve.
Swiatek did not let that wobble stop her from taking a 3-1 lead and after a forehand crosscourt winner bagged her the first set, the four-time French Open champion sealed her 20th consecutive win on her first match point.
Former champion Elena Rybakina swept aside Romanian Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-3, 6-1. Fifth seed Jessica Pegula made light work of fellow American Ashlyn Krueger 6-2, 6-0.
Easy for Novak
Seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic eased concerns about his knee with a clinical display to beat Czech qualifier Vit Kopriva 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 and reach the second round.
Playing with a support on his right leg following a minor operation less than four weeks ago that cut short his French Open, the 37-year-old made a solid start and drew first blood in a marathon fourth game.
The Serb, bidding for a record 25th grand slam title to end his trophy drought this year, broke on his sixth attempt and breezed through the opening set under the Centre Court roof before heaping the pressure on Kopriva early in the next.
He let out a big roar having grabbed another break after a 21-shot rally and used it as a platform to double his advantage in the match, as the 123rd-ranked Kopriva struggled to keep pace with last year’s runner-up.
The Wimbledon main draw debutant offered resistance early in the third set but was unable to subdue second seed Djokovic, who shifted up another gear to run away with the match.
Rublev exits
Russian sixth seed Andrey Rublev crashed out in the first round, losing 6-4 5-7 6-2 7-6(5) to world No.122 Francisco Comesana of Argentina, playing his first match at a Grand Slam.
Rublev frequently lost his temper, screamed out loud, and ranted at his courtside coaching team.
At one point in the third set the 26-year-old, who also had a meltdown at the French Open in May, smashed his racquet repeatedly over his knee, leaving it bloody and bruised for the rest of the match.
Fourth seed Alexander Zverev eased to a 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Roberto Carballes Baena to get his latest bid for a maiden Grand Slam triumph up and running. Stefanos Tsitsipas, the 11th seed, defeated Taro Daniel 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, 7-5.
