It was a good day for British tennis as both Johanna Konta and Kyle Edmund secured their places in the second round at Wimbledon.
Konta, the 22nd seed, beat Natalia Vikhlyantseva 7-5, 7-6 (9-7), while Edmund won 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 against Alex Bolt.
Following her victory, 2017 semi-finalist Konta told the BBC: “It’s the first round of a Slam, there were definitely some nerves there. First rounds are always tricky. The conditions were tricky, breezy and gusty, it didn’t make it easy.
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“I am playing these Championships independent of what happened last year. I am a little wiser this year, working hard to be here for a full two weeks.”
Edmund, who beat Bolt in just 103 minutes, said: “I’m just really happy to get through the first round at Wimbledon. There’s always that long preparation where there’s lot of build-up, lots of time to think, lots of anticipation. You’ve always got the media and that stuff to do.
“So to get the first round out of the way and play, I’m very happy. What a setting to do it - my first time on No.1 Court in singles and a tricky third set, but I guess it shows how well I was playing and thinking to win it 7-5.”
Konta plays Dominika Cibulkova in round two, while Edmund goes up against Bradley Klahn next.
Muguruza starts title defence well
World No. 3 Garbine Muguruza, the defending women’s champion, was “clinical” in her first-round victory against Britain’s Naomi Broady.
After beating Broady 6-2, 7-5 on Centre Court, the Spaniard said: “[It felt] incredible. It’s a beautiful court, I’m back and I’m thinking to win and actually enjoy it this time more.
“I knew she had a big serve and big shots and on grass it’s always difficult. The crowd was very fair and I really enjoyed it.”
Nadal, Zverev and Del Potro through
World No. 1 and second seed Rafael Nadal enjoyed a comfortable win against Dudi Sela. Spaniard Nadal beat the Israeli 6-3, 6-3, 6-2.
Fourth seed Alexander Zverev beat James Duckworth 7-5, 6-2, 6-0, and fifth seed Juan Martin del Potro was a 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 victor against Peter Gojowczyk.
Seeds fall on day
A number of top seeds were knocked out at the All England Club today. Petra Kvitova (seeded 8) lost in the women’s first round, while in the men’s singles Dominic Thiem (7), David Goffin (10) and Fernando Verdasco (30) were also beaten.
