Wimbledon day two round-up: Women’s top seed Swiatek through to round two – and a mixed day for the Brits

Polish number one seed Iga Swiatek is safely through to the second round at this year’s Wimbledon Championships after beating Croatia’s Jana Fett 6-0, 6-3.

It took her just 1hr 15mins to get her campaign off to the perfect start on Centre Court, where she opened proceedings on day two in pace of absent champion Ash Barty.

Speaking after her victory, Swiatek said: “Basically it’s a huge privilege that I was chosen as the one who is going to be opening.

“It wasn’t obvious because obviously Ash would be opening if she was here.

“There are many great champions in the draw. I just felt like, it’s an honour, you know. I’m pretty happy it was a good match from me and a good performance, for sure.”

Elsewhere in the ladies’ singles Coco Gauff, the number 11 seed, needed three sets to beat Elena-Gabriela Ruse of Romania 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, while 2019 champion Simona Halep is through to the second round after a straight sets win over Czech Karolina Muchova.

Two-time champ Petra Kvitova is also safely through, as is Brit Heather Watson, who beat Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch in three sets. Greece’s number five seed Maria Sakkari beat Zoe Hives of Australia.

Speaking after her match, which was completed today after a 10.40pm cut-off yesterday, Watson said: “It was a battle yesterday. I wasn’t playing my best tennis. I was fighting as hard as I could.

“I managed to get hold of that second set. I felt like I started to create more opportunities in that second set. It was just a matter of taking them, and then I did at the end. I was happy to keep myself alive at that point.

“Then today, the third set, I came in with a fresh outlook and was much happier with my tennis performance today.

“The last few years for me personally have been tough. I’ve had my ups and downs – mostly downs – like so many people have with the pandemic.

“But not just that, with my tennis as a whole. The person I am, I’m a fighter.

“Also for my game, I’m the type of player that needs to put in a lot of work to play good tennis, a lot of hours on the court, a lot of hours in the gym.

“I think it was just a build-up of that, as well, just how much I’ve been putting in and not getting any reward.

“So, you know, after my match here last year on Court One (when he lost in the first round after having match points), that was an all-time low for me.

“Coming back, I was so happy I could change the outcome and narrative this year.”

In the men’s draw there was victory for 2008 and 2010 champion Rafael Nadal, who beat Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo in four sets.

And Australian Nick Kyrgios is through after a five-set epic against Brit Paul Jubb.

Grigor Dimitrov, the much-fancied No.18 seed Bulgarian, was forced to retire against American Steve Johnson, while Matteo Berrettini, another possible champion and last year’s finalist, was forced to withdraw after a positive Covid test – the second of the tournament to withdraw because of Covid after Marin Cilic pulled out yesterday.

There were also wins for Brits Jack Draper, Ryan Peniston, Katie Boulter and Alastair Gray.

But Katie Swan, Jay Clarke, Dan Evans and Sonay Kartal are out.

Pictured top: Heather Watson (Picture: PA)