A British qualifier ranked outside the top 700 in the world and playing his first tour-level singles match has provided the feel-good story of the day at Wimbledon.
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When Willis held serve to close out the match, he ran to hug friends and family in the stands.
Willis won three matches in a special British Lawn Tennis Association event just to earn a wild card into qualifying for Wimbledon.
Willis has been coaching at Warwick Boat Club after nearly quitting the sport but won six matches across pre-qualifying and qualifying to book his place in the main draw.
There are probably two men who can beat Djokovic at Wimbledon and they may be long shots.
In one completed match, 10th-seeded Tomas Berdych finished a 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (2) win over Ivan Dodig on Court 18.
The Women’s singles final is on July 9 and the men’s singles final on July 10.
Giorgi reached the fourth round in 2012; while on Court One, Serena’s sister, 36-year-old Venus Williams, seeded eighth and a five-time champion, takes on Croatia’s Donna Vekic. Klein lost 7-6 (7/0) 6-4 6-4 to France’s Nicolas Mahut while Ward was beaten 6-2 6-3 6-2 by Belgium’s David Goffin. “Andy Murray, Roger (Federer)? first of all, because of their rankings, their history of playing, playing well, and winning this tournament, especially Roger for so many times”, Djokovic said.
Djokovic had not played a competitive match since finally getting his hands on the French Open trophy three weeks ago so this was a first test of how having achieved tennis immortality would affect him going forward.
Ward started the third set by holding serve to show his resurgence was no fluke, but Djokovic recovered well from his earlier blip, producing some fantastic tennis to hold serve and force a break in the following game.
Sir Cliff Richard was among a host of famous faces who turned up to watch play on the opening day of Wimbledon. Everything you hit is coming back.
Other match-ups include Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishikori, who has yet to get beyond the fourth round, taking on big-serving Australian Sam Groth; and Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber faces Britain’s Laura Robson in the same arena.
Rosol is best known for eliminating Rafael Nadal in the second round at Wimbledon in 2012.
Milos Raonic started with a 7-6 (7/4), 6-2, 6-4 victory over Pablo Carreno Busta in front of new coach and All England Club legend John McEnroe.
He is the lowest-ranked qualifier to win a round at a grand slam since a 923rd-ranked Jared Palmer at the 1988 U.S. Open.
“It was an unbelievable day”, Ward said.
“I voted out”, he said.
“It was an ugly start”, said Ward”. Ivanovic thinks there is “enough time” for the wrist pain “to settle down” so she can represent Serbia at the Summer Games.
BIGGEST FAVORITE: So, Petra Kvitova, as the victor of two of the past five Wimbledon titles, who do you consider the likeliest champion this year?
World tennis No 1 Novak Djokovic and 17-time major victor Roger Federer got Wimbledon under way on Monday (June 27) with history beckoning for the two Grand Slam A-listers.
World number one and defending champion Novak Djokovic opens play on what is expected to be a dry and sunny day.
The world number 177 admits facing Djokovic, the current holder of all four grand slam titles, on Centre Court was an experience he will never forget. I’m sure the All England Club committee will forgive me for that extra towel per match.
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Britain’s Marcus Willis, the world number 772, celebrates his victory over 54th-ranked Lithuania’s Ricardas Berankis 6-3 6-3 6-4 on day one of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, June 27, 2016.
