Key events<\/p>\n
Fearnley becomes third Briton into round two<\/p>\n
We waited more than one day for a British victory, and then three have come along at once. Following Katie Swan and Arthur Fery into the second round is Jacob Fearnley, who has bridged a gap of more than 100 places in the world rankings to come from two sets to love down and beat the American Alex Michelsen , 3-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2. The 24-year-old will face Spain\u2019s Jaume Munar next, who\u2019s surprisingly taken out the Queen\u2019s champion, Francisco Cerundolo, in straight sets.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n As I try to watch countless courts on my computer, this is like the Wimbledon<\/a> version of spinning several plates at once, and it all comes crashing down when my computer freezes with Rybakina at 40-15 and two set points. Gah! When the swirling circle of doom disappears Rybakina is a set to the good at 6-4.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Rybakina is ripping through the first set on No 1 Court, and Boisson, who unexpectedly reached the French Open semi-finals as a home wild card last year, is serving at 3-5, 15-30 down. It\u2019s soon 30-40; a first set point for the 2022 champion. But Boisson hangs on and holds. Rybakina will serve for the opener after the changeover.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Swiatek lost more games in that match than she did in last year\u2019s quarter-finals, semi-finals and final combined. It doesn\u2019t only show how difficult it was for her today, but also how dangerous she can be when she generates momentum at a tournament. She was vulnerable today but invincible in the latter stages last year, especially in that 6-0, 6-0 shellacking of Anisimova in the final, and if she puts some wins together this fortnight, she could still be very dangerous, despite having not won a title yet in 2026.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.14 EDT<\/p>\n Swiatek survives against Townsend, 6-1, 2-6, 6-3<\/p>\n An emotional Swiatek completes victory, burying her head into her towel after serving it out to love with an ace. She then stuffs a few in her bag, just as she did last year<\/a>. \u201cI\u2019m not sure I\u2019m able to talk that much, it\u2019s not been a season where everything has gone how I wanted,\u201d the Pole admits. \u201cSo I\u2019m happy I could do it here, opening the court as the defending champion. I\u2019m happy I could keep my composure. I got tense in the second set but was able to come back to my game.\u201d A lighter moment follows as she\u2019s asked about her towel pilfering, and now she\u2019s smiling. That was tense and tortuous at times for the 2025 winner but, just like Jannik Sinner yesterday, she\u2019s through in a deciding set, and will hope there are more straightforward days to come.<\/p>\n An emotional Iga Swiatek celebrates victory over Taylor Townsend. Photograph: Tolga Akmen\/EPA Photograph: Tolga Akmen\/EPAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.52 EDT<\/p>\n A third successive break and Swiatek edges ahead once more. It leaves the defending champion serving for the match at 5-3. Meanwhile Shelton will have to go the distance, because Virtanen secured a second break before serving out the set 6-2.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n But no sooner does Swiatek break, than Townsend breaks back! So there is yet another twist to this see-sawing first-round match. Swiatek gave that away, with a couple of loose forehands and a double fault. Naomi Osaka, a good friend of Townsend\u2019s and in far more low-key attire than yesterday\u2019s Kill Bill inspired kimono, applauds in the stands. It\u2019s Swiatek 6-1, 2-6, 4-3 *Townsend.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Iga is now looking, um, much more eager, as she ups the intensity point by point, holding to love once more and then breaking Townsend to 15 when the American\u2019s forehand volley flops into the net. Swiatek now leads 6-1, 2-6, 4-2 and is potentially two games away from survival.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Arthur Fery beats Damir Dzumhur 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-1<\/p>\n Virtanen still has the break against Shelton, leading 4-2 in the fourth set, but trailing by two sets to one. And awaiting the winner in the second round is Arthur Fery, who has become the first British man to win in the first round this year (at the seventh time of asking after defeats for Norrie, Gill, Basing, Tarvet, Wendelken and Pinnington-Jones). The France-born, Wimbledon-raised 23-year-old has come through in four sets against Damir Dzumhur, backing up his run to the Queen\u2019s quarter-finals a couple of weeks ago.<\/p>\n Eeeeey! Arthur Fery celebrates his victory over Damir Dzumhur. Photograph: Mike Egerton\/PAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.35 EDT<\/p>\n After that tortuous service game for Swiatek at the start of the third set, which lasted 21 minutes and 24 points, Townsend secures a fairly straightforward hold and Swiatek outdoes that with a hold to love for 2-1. Maybe that\u2019ll calm the nerves of the Pole, who\u2019s trying to avoid becoming the third defending women\u2019s champion to lose in the first round. I bunked off school to battle the Wimbledon<\/a> queue and watch Steffi Graf lose to Lori McNeil in 1994 (and was then caught red-handed when the camera unfortunately zoomed in on me and my friend in the Centre Court stands). Oops. The other defending women\u2019s champ to be bumped out in the opening round was Marketa Vondrousova two years ago.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Thanks Daniel and afternoon all. And just as Daniel departs, Elena Rybakina arrives on No 1 Court, along with Lois Boisson, who was the home sensation at last year\u2019s French Open but hasn\u2019t won a grand slam match since. Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon<\/a> champ, has the added incentive of knowing a deep run here could secure her the world No 1 ranking for the first time.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Meantime, Swiatek seals a protracted hold, saving four break points in the process. The question now is whether it gives her the fillip she needs, or whether how difficult she found it reflects her state of mind. Either way, Katy Murrells is here to coax you through the end of this match along with everything else, so I\u2019ll leave you to hang with her. In a bit.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Mensik, someone I think could go deep, is under way against GB\u2019s Samuel, who leads him 4-3 on serve; Khachanov leads Harris, another Brit, 3-2; Kokkinakis and Bublik are level at a set apiece; Halys leads Arnaldi 2-1 4-2; Fearnley has broken Michelsen to trail 1-2 4-2, that fifth set we predicted looking imminent; and Fery leads Dzumhur2-1 2-0.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Virtanen isn\u2019t going away. He breaks Shelton immediately in set four and the way he\u2019s serving, that advantage won\u2019t be easily retrieved; the no 4 seed leads 2-1 1-2.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Now then! Townsend makes advantage and break point \u2026 but overhits a forehand return. Swiatek, though, can\u2019t close out from two advantages of her own and soo has to save a second break point \u2026 then faces another. And when she serves long, Townsend steps in but can\u2019t capitalise, a big second serve surprising her \u2026 then, when she makes yet another advantage, a further poor return gives it back.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Let\u2019s quickly visit with Fritz, owner of the flattest, most expressionless voice ever. He says it\u2019s never easy coming out at a grand slam so it feels good to come out and play well; but he might also be reading the shipping forecast.<\/p>\n He apologises for ruining Lajovic\u2019s birthday, then explains that it\u2019s odd for him not to play before Wimbledon<\/a> but he wanted to rest his body. A lot of things felt good today and he\u2019s got things he wants to improve, but he felt great.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.16 EDT<\/p>\n Back with Shelton, Virtanen is refusing to take a backwards step and they\u2019re level at 8-8 in the breaker. As I type, though, the Finn nets, ceding set point in the process, then Shelton unloads on the forehand, whipping monsters to corners before nailing an overhead. \u201cI\u2019m here all day! All day!\u201d he yells at his box, bashing his chest, asd he leads by two sets to one.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Next on No 1: Lo\u00efs Boisson v Elena Rybakina (2).<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Taylor Fritz (6) beats Dusan Lajovic 6-3 6-4 6-3<\/p>\n Hour 41 and done for Fritz, who looked extremely comfortable and excited out there; he knows this is his time, but he also knows various others know the same. Next for him: Kypson or McDonald.<\/p>\n Taylor Fritz on his way to victory. Photograph: Neil Hall\/EPAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.15 EDT<\/p>\n Townsend makes advantage \u2026 and swings a lefty serve out wide to the backhand \u2026 for an ace! She takes the second set and, at 1-6 6-2, she and Swiatek will play a decider.<\/p>\n The champ\u2019s confidence is, I\u2019m afraid, a very fragile thing, and she became increasingly tentative as Townsend\u2019s mix of top-spinning forehands, drops and volleys asked questions she struggled to answer.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Lots of shouting from Shelton when a slower serve catches Virtanen unaware; it consolidates a mini-break at 4-2, whole Townsend now has two set points at 5-2 40-15 \u2026 only to waft a backhand volley over the baseline, then do likewise with a drive backhand. Oh and she then nets to cede advantage \u2026 but quickly restores deuce \u2026 while Shelton catches a line and celebrates his 5-3 lead. Anyone got any spare eyes?<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n On 15, the match I hoped would mature into an epic might just be on its way: Fearnley has taken the third set 6-2 to trail Michelsen 2-1, while next door on 16, Dzumhur has broken Fery back in the third to trail 1-1 2-3. But I\u2019m going to focus on No 2 for a little bit as Virtanen and and Shelton are playing a tiebreaker, level at one set apiece \u2013 oh, and on Centre, where Townsend is serving for the second set at 1-6 5-2, knowing if she\u2019s broken, she\u2019s another go at it.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Swiatek, though, is not, Townsend playing really well hitting with heavy spin from the back , laying drops, and volleying with deft prejudice at net; she leads 5-1 in the second, a decider looking inevitable.<\/p>\n Iga Swiatek at the net. Photograph: Tolga Akmen\/EPAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.15 EDT<\/p>\n I still find it odd that Hugo Boss makes tennis gear \u2013 is Fritz tempted to team his top with some dreadful loafers and a tie? \u2013 but he\u2019s in it and he\u2019s broken Lajovic to lead 6-3 6-4 3-2. He\u2019s close to round two.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n I\u2019m enjoying Virtanen\u2019s performance against Shelton \u2013 he\u2019s serving really well and looks mentally very solid. They\u2019re level at 1-1 5-5 and, though I expect the no 4 seed to win, a breaker against so big a server is anything but a cert.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Er, you know that bit, not that long ago, when I said the champ\u2019s confidence would be up? Obviously she\u2019s now down a double break in set two at 6-1 0-3, struggling with Townsend\u2019s net play, and I wonder if there\u2019s something in her intense intensity that stops her playing as freely as she might want.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Townsend lobs Swiatek, who plays a tweener \u2026 but a glancing volley, beautifully controlled, seals the point, and another the consolidation. The champ leads 6-1 0-2.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Brandon Nakashima (28) beats Jack Pinnington Jones 6-3 7-6(5) 7-5<\/p>\n Well that didn\u2019t last long. Nakashima breaks again and will meet Struff next.<\/p>\n Brandon Nakashima beats Jack Pinnington Jones in straight sets. Another Brit bites the dust. Photograph: Matthias Hangst\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.28 EDT<\/p>\n Swiatek took the first set off Townsend 6-0, but was broken immediately in the second; Shelton and Virtanen are level at 1-1 3-3; Fery has fought back against Dzumhur to lead 3-6 6-2 2-0; Fearnley is fighting back against Michelsen, trailing 3-6 4-6 3-1; De Minaur leads Burruchaga 7-6 6-1 4-0; Kokkinakis leads Bublik 5-4 with a break; and Pinnington Jones has broken Nakashima back to trail 3-6 6-7 5-6.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The big seed in Fritz\u2019s half is Zverev, whom he leads 10-5 in head to head and who doesn\u2019t love grass; in his eighth, there\u2019s really no one who should bother him \u2013 Bublik is the next highest seed, and no one would ever rely on him to do what\u2019s expected.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The last year or two, Fritz has looked like he might be ready to make the jump from contender to pretender \u2013 he got the semis last year, playing pretty much as well as he can in losing to Alcaraz in four. But this year, with Alcaraz knacked and Sinner in the other half of the draw, he has what is probably the opportunity of his life; can he make it happen? Well, he\u2019s broken Lajovic in set two to lead 6-3 5-3, and is settling nicely.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Valentin Royer beats Henry Wendelken 4-6 6-3 6-3 6-3<\/p>\n Wendelken gave a good account of himself but after the first set, couldn\u2019t play well enough for long enough to win another. Next for Royer: Blockx or Zverev.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Ruthless from Swiatek, who breaks Townsend again for 4-1 in the first; Kokkinakis leads Bublik 3-2 with a break; Nakashima, returning after his match against Pinnington Jones was suspended last evening, now leads 2-0 5-3; and De Minaur has rushed through a 6-1 second set to lead Burruchaga 2-0.<\/p>\n Iga Swiatek is not messing around here. Photograph: Victoria Jones\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.05 EDT<\/p>\n Hanfman has beaten Mpetshi Perricard 6-7 7-6 6-2 6-3, which has me thinking, reason being Calv Betton, our resident coach, saw him a few years ago when he was still a teenager and was wowed by him. But he\u2019s not quite trained on \u2013 though he made round four of this competition in 2024, the first lucky loser so to do in a decade, otherwise he\u2019s done almost nothing at majors. I wonder if a little more finesse is required.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Swiatek eventually secures her hold, saving five break points in the process \u2013 she and Townsend are 1-1 in the first \u2013 while Shelton has levelled against Virtanen at a set apiece. De Minaur, meanwhile, is making a better first of things than Boulter, up 7-6 3-1 on Burruchaga \u2026 and, as I type, Swiatek reminds us who she us, showing Townsend how a break is secured. She leads 2-1, and that will, I think, do plenty for her confidence.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n On Centre, Townsend\u2019s tactic is clear: take the ball as early as possible and try putting Swiatek under pressure. She holds for 1-0 then makes 0-40, and though the champ rallies with three first serves that takes us to deuce, another on advantage \u2026 is also saved.<\/p>\n Swiatek was a surprise winner last year, but it made sense that her ability on clay eventually translated to grass; the ball bounces low and her excellent footwork is just as important on a slippy surface. I can\u2019t say I\u2019m expecting her to retain, especially after Kostyuk demolished her in Paris \u2013 the field are improving faster than her -\u2013 but if she hits her best level, she\u2019s capable.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Wendelken and Royer have swapped third-set breaks, so the Frenchman leads the Brit 2-1 2-2; Fritz has taken the first set against Lajovic 6-3; I\u2019m not sure if something\u2019s going on on Court 4 but having lost the first set 6-3, Halys then won the second 6-1 and leads Arnaldi 1-0 with a break in the third; Svajda leads Llamas Ruiz 6-1 4-0 and might just\u2019ve broken a barrier with his performance in Paris; and Dzumhur leads Fery 6-3 2-0.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Madison Keys (26) beats Kayla Day (5)6-7 6-4 6-3<\/p>\n Keys has made two Wimbledon<\/a> quarters but she\u2019s capable of better, if she trusts herself and turns up \u2013 though I wonder about her movement on grass. Still, she survives a fright and moves on to face Katie Swan next.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n There\u2019s so much going it\u2019s an outrage. On Centre, Swiatek and Townsend are knocking up, so I\u2019ve got that on; Fritz leads Lajovic 4-3 on serve; Shelton has broken Virtanen for 4-6 4-1; Keys has match point against Day at 5-3 in the third; and De Minaur has won a first-set breaker against Burruchaga.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Jasmine Paolini (13) beats Robin Montgomery 0-6 6-4 7-5<\/p>\n A brilliant win in a terrific match, sadly conceded with a double, but Paolini has so much heart and composure, earning a second-round match against Shymanovich or Golubic, who are level at 1-1 in the first. Montgomery gave so much to the match, but at just 21, she\u2019ll be back and better.<\/p>\n Jasmine Paolini celebrates after winning her first round match against Robin Montgomery. Photograph: Jaimi Joy\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.35 EDT<\/p>\n Back with Paolini, she hods for 6-5, then races to 0-40 and suddenly, after losing the first set 6-0 and being down a break in the third, she has three match points, Montgomery playing tentatively as she attacks thew opportunity with characteristic gusto.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Gosh, there\u2019s so much going on it\u2019s ridiculous. Bouzkova leads Gibson 3-1 in the third, Michelsen has broken Fearnley for 6-3 1-0, Dzumhur leads Fery 5-2, Burruchaga leads De Minaur 6-5 and Fritz leads Lajovic 3-2.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Yup, Montgomery closes out her hold for 5-5 in the third, and this is a really intense tussle. Elsewhere, Arnaldi not only retrieved Halys\u2019 break but took one of his own and now leads 6-3 0-1; Keys has just broken Day for 3-2 in the third; and Zach Svajda, so impressive in making round four in Paris, leads Llamas Ruiz 5-2.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Jacob Fearnley has also lost a set, trailing Michelsen 3-6, but let\u2019s go to 12, where Paolini has match point at 5-4 30-40, having lost the first 6-0 and been a break down in the third. And she has the chance to put away a backhand at net \u2026 only to telegraph it, allowing Montgomery to hit into space and save herself.<\/p>\n