LONDON. – Defending champion Novak Djokovic shrugged off some rust to beat South Korea’s Kwon Soon-woo 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-4 on Centre Court for his 80th match win at Wimbledon on Monday.
British hope Emma Raducanu and former champion Andy Murray also gave the local fans reason to cheer on the opening day after they won their first-round matches on Centre Court.
Playing on the hallowed turf for the first time in the court’s centenary year, US Open champion Raducanu prevailed 6-4 6-4 over in-form Belgian Alison van Uytvanck, who had won two grasscourt events prior to Wimbledon.
Murray, on the other hand, overcame an opening set hiccup to maintain his 100% record in the first round at Wimbledon to beat Australian James Duckworth 4-6 6-3 6-2 6-4 under the floodlights in a match where the roof was closed for the final set.
Women’s third seed Ons Jabeur powered past Mirjam Bjorklund 6-1 6-3.
The biggest upset of day one came courtesy of Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina who beat seventh seed and last year’s semifinalist Hubert Hurkacz 7-6(4) 6-4 5-7 2-6 7-6.
