Alcaraz, Murray, Rybakina Star On Wet Tuesday At Wimbledon; 87 Matches Wednesday

Thanks to the roofs, otherwise there would have been no completed matches at Wimbledon on Tuesday.

The tournament saw the skies opened up just past and noon and it never stopped as outer court play was called in the early evening. Players on covered courts got their matches in, though.

With Roger Federer looking on from the Royal Box, two-time champion Andy Murray made his 15th Wimbledon start a good one blowing past fellow Brit Ryan Peniston 6-3, 6-0, 6-1.

“I was quite nervous at the beginning,” Murray said. “Coming out, I wanted to play well but I started off a little bit tentatively but once I got the break in that first set, I thought I played some good stuff as the match went on. There are some good signs there.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve felt physically this good coming into Wimbledon, which is really, really positive. The last few years have been very challenging so I’m hoping I’m fit and ready for a good run.”

Carlos Alcaraz stayed perfect on grass this year thumping French veteran Jeremy Chardy 6-0, 6-2, 7-5. After getting crushed early on, Chardy actually broke Alcaraz late. This was Chardy’s final match of his career.

“It’s really beautiful to play here. I have really great memories from last year playing on these courts, at this tournament,” said Alcaraz.

“I’m really happy to have a lot of people supporting me, not only in Spain, but around the world. I’m a really lucky guy, to live this kind of experience, to experience this kind of love in every country where I go.”

2022 Wimbledon semifinalist Cameron Norrie joined Andy Murray in the second round with a tough 6-3, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 win over qualifier Tomas Machac 6-3, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.

“He played a really aggressive second set and didn’t give me much,” said Norrie. “I had some chances early on and dropped a little bit, but he was coming forward well and played really aggressive.”

Dan Evans couldn’t follow in the British success going down in four to Quentin Halys 6-2, 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-4. The match resumed with Evans down two sets but on Centre Court the home crowd couldn’t lift their guy to victory.

And French quarterfinalist Tomas Martin Etcheverry rallied from two sets down to defeat Bernabe Zapata Miralles in five sets. The match was resumed in the fourth set with the Spaniard a set from his first Wimbledon win.

In the women’s draw, defending champion Elena Rybakina got broken out of the gate but then powered her serving winning 12 of the last 15 games in a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 win over the upset-minded Shelby Rogers.

Rybakina’s victim in the final last year was Ons Jabeur who cruised past Magdalena Frech 6-3, 6-3.

“The atmosphere and the attention to be on Centre Court, it’s different than the last year, because last year I started on a smaller court. With every match I was playing better and better, feeling better,” Rybakina said of opening on Centre.

“Physically, I’m feeling good. Of course, maybe I’m missing a bit some things here and there because we didn’t put enough hours,” Rybakina said. “But overall I feel good.”

And Aryna Sabalenka improved to 13-1 this year in Slams with a good 6-3, 6-1 win over Panna Udvardy.

“I didn’t realise how much I missed this place until now,” said Sabalenka who was banned from the club last year. “It really means a lot.

“I feel great. I was trying to do my best on every point, enjoying my game. I missed this place a lot and that’s why I played my best tennis today. It’s really good to be one of the favourites in this beautiful tournament and I’ll do my best to reach as far as I can here at Wimbledon.”

Tomorrow, the remaining 70 or so unfinished first round matches will be contested plus play from Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Iga Swiatek and two-time semifinalist Victoria Azarenka.

WEDNESDAY WIMBLEDON SCHEDULE
CENTRE COURT – 1:30PM
Daria Kasatkina [11] v Jodie Burrage (GBR)
Iga Swiatek (POL) [1] v Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP)
Jordan Thompson (AUS) v Novak Djokovic (SRB) [2]

NO.1 COURT – 1:00PM
Daniil Medvedev [3] v Arthur Fery (GBR)
Heather Watson (GBR) v Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) [10]
Jannik Sinner (ITA) [8] v Diego Schwartzman (ARG)

NO.2 COURT – 11:00AM
Maria Sakkari (GRE) [8] v Marta Kostyuk (UKR)
Yannick Hanfmann (GER) leads Taylor Fritz (USA) [9]
Dominic Thiem (AUT) leads Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) [5]
Alexander Zverev (GER) [19] v Gijs Brouwer (NED)
Not Before: 4:30pm
Nadia Podoroska (ARG) v Victoria Azarenka [19]