'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The 2015 Wimbledon Championships got underway at London this morning with the world’s best players in attendance as they looked to progress to the second round.
As is the tradition,defending champion Novak Djokovic took to the center court at 1 pm to face Philipp Kohlshreiber of Germany in the first round. The Serb looked a little rusty with several forehand unforced errors, but got the job done in the end. He won 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
The World No. 1 will face Jarkko Nieminen in the second round. The Finn took out Lleyton Hewitt, who was playing his last Wimbledon 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-0, 11-9.
World No. 4 Stan Wawrinka continued from where he left off at the French Open as he ousted Portugal’s Joao Sousa 6-2, 7-5, 7-6 (3). The Swiss No. 2 will face Victor Estrella Burgos in the next round.
The No. 5 seed Kei Nishikori dug deep against Italian Simone Bolelli to win 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. Incidentally, their previous match went the distance in the third round of Wimbledon last year as well!
Nishikori’s 2014 US Open finals opponent Marin Cilic wasn’t troubled in his first round encounter. The Croat beat Japan’s Hiroki Moriya 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (4).
Australia’s Nick Kyrgios, who reached the quarterfinals here last year was in imperious form as he dispatched Diego Schwartzman 6-0, 6-2, 7-6 (6). Milos Raonic, who is coming back to the tour after an injury also made it to the next round with a 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (4) win over Daniel Gimeno Traver.
On the women’s side, World No.1 Serena Williams looked a little edgy in the first set, but came through with a convincing 6-4, 6-1 win over Russia’s Margarita Gasparyan. 2004 champion Maria Sharapova struggled on her serve, but came out triumphant over British No. 2 Johanna Konta 6-2, 6-2.
5-time Champion Venus Williams started her campaign with a 6-0, 6-0 win over her compatriot Madison Brengle. If she continues this form , she could meet her sister Serena in the fourth round.
Victoria Azarenka also came through unscathed against Estonia’s Annet Kontaveit 6-2, 6-1. 2008 French Open champion Ana Ivanovic beat Yi-Fan Xu of China 6-1, 6-1 in her first round match.
How did Novak Djokovic meet Jelena Ristic? All about the most admired couples in tennis
