Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek advanced with straight-set victories Monday despite a rain delay as Wimbledon got started.
Venus Williams and Coco Gauff are among the other big names in action later on Day 1.
It is the year’s third major tournament — and Djokovic won the first two: the Australian Open in January and the French Open in June. That puts him halfway to the first calendar-year Grand Slam in men’s tennis since 1969. He came close to the feat in 2021, falling just one victory short when he lost in the final of the U.S. Open.
He seeks a fifth consecutive title at the All England Club and eighth overall, which both would tie records for men.
Djokovic's title at Roland Garros was his 23rd at a Slam event, breaking a tie with Rafael Nadal for the men's mark in that category.
Djokovic, the No. 2 seed, beat Pedro Cachin 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (4) after a rain relay that lasted more than an hour. Groundskeepers used leaf blowers to dry the grass.
“It was definitely frustrating, of course, for all the crowd. For us players, we both wanted to play but the conditions were not great, obviously still slippery,” Djokovic said of the delay.
The 36-year-old Serb used a towel to help dry some wet spots: “I normally come out with rackets, not with towels.”
Swiatek, who owns four major titles but hasn't been past the fourth round at the All England Club, beat Zhu Lin of China 6-1, 6-3 at No. 1 Court, winning the final two games after the roof was closed following a rain delay.
Swiatek said she feels better prepared for the grass-court major this year following her title at the French Open.
"After Roland Garros," she said on court, "I really took some time to just appreciate what happened. Last year, when I won Roland Garros, it was my second Grand Slam so it still felt, like, overwhelming, but this time I really could just focus on celebrating and actually getting back to work with more peace in my head and I try to be open minded for the grass season and I think it's working. Hopefully I'm going to be able keep that mindset."
Barbora Strycova, a semifinalist in 2019, became the first winner of this year's tournament by beating Maryna Zanevska 6-1, 7-5. On the men's side, seventh-seeded Andrey Rublev beat Max Purcell 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 on No. 3 Court.
Djokovic will be followed in the main stadium by Williams, a 43-year-old participating in the sport’s oldest major tournament for the 24th time and taking on Elina Svitolina of Ukraine. Williams — whose younger sister, Serena, retired after last season — won five of her seven Grand Slam singles trophies at Wimbledon.
After Swiatek at No. 1 Court, three-time Grand Slam runner-up Casper Ruud was playing Laurent Lokoli. And then Gauff — a 19-year-old American who was a French Open finalist last year — will face 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin.
Djokovic dries Wimbledon court before wiping floor with opponent
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic returns to Argentina’s Pedro Cachin during their first round men’s singles match on day one of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Monday, July 3, 2023. | Photo Credit: AP
Novak Djokovic helped dry the grass on Wimbledon’s Centre Court with his towel before picking up where he had left off to beat Argentina’s Pedro Cachin 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) in his opening match on Monday.
The Serbian second seed was broken in the third game when he double-faulted but hit back immediately to level at 2-2.
Djokovic, chasing a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon men’s singles title, broke again in the eighth game before serving out for the set.
The covers were rushed on as soon as the defending champion had wrapped up the set, with rain falling in southwest London.
The roof was closed but there was a lengthy delay featuring multiple inspections by officials and the players.
Djokovic, who was clearly unhappy with the slipperiness of the surface, at one stage emerged with a towel, which he used to rub the surface of the court to laughter from the crowd.
Members of the ground staff then used hand-held machines to try to dry the surface in farcical scenes on the world-famous court.
The match eventually resumed after a delay of almost 90 minutes, with the Centre Court roof reopened.
Djokovic, seeking to match Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles, was unfazed by the delay, breaking in the first game of the second set to establish an iron grip on the match, repeating the feat to seal the set.
Cachin, ranked 68th, dug deep in the third set, with neither player able to force a break in the early evening sunshine.
Djokovic was immediately on top in the tie-break, surging into a 6-2 lead and he wrapped up the match when Cachin netted.
The 36-year-old Serbian is chasing the first calendar Grand Slam in men’s tennis since 1969 after winning the Australian Open and French Open this year.
(With inputs from AP and Reuters)
