Four women’s seeds start Wimbledon with wins into the second round on a sunny Monday but number 16 Italian Flavia Pennetta became the first to fall for the fortnight.
Polish number three and two-time quarter-finalist Agnieszka Radwanska took a victory over Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia 6-3, 6-3 while fifth-seeded Australian Samantha Stosur beat Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro 6-1, 6-3.
Stosur’s performance improved on recent efforts in which she lost in the first round of the past two editions. The 28-year-old has never been past the third round.
2011 semifinalist and 15th seed Sabine Lisicki started with a win over Crotaian Petra Martic 6-4, 6-2 with the German happy to be back at the scene of her biggest Grand Slam success -- even if on an outside court.
“The crowd is really close, and they were great. As long as you play at Wimbledon, there is no better place. So doesn’t matter which court,” Lisicki said.
The 2011 French Open winner Li Na’s husband was moved form his proper seat by one of the overzealous stewards during her match. But Li survived the distraction to post a defeat of Ksenia Pervak 6-3, 6-1, her second win over the Kazakh in a 2012 Grand Slam after a January victory in Australia.
Italian Camila Giorgi provided the first upset of the event as she put out compatriot Pennetta 6-4, 6-3.
In men’s play, Frenchman Richard Gasquet dismissed German Tobias Kamke 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 while Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny celebrated his 30th birthday by handing luckless American Donald Young a 12th straight loss, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3.
France’s Julien Benneteau defeated Gilles Muller of Luxembourg 6-2, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4).
